Perfect
by Kanariya674
Summary: Uchiha Sasuke has everything – the perfect status, the perfect girlfriend and the perfect image. However, like most seemingly perfect things, they do not last long. This is a story of how one Uzumaki Naruto can ruin it all. –SasuNaru-
1. Chapter One

**Author Notes:** I have been inspired like nobody's business! I've always wanted to try my shot at slightly drama-themed stories, especially with SasuNaru, though I always tend to make things humorous at the same time. It's just too easy. This theme has definitely been done before, but hopefully you'll still find it enjoyable. There won't be many chapters to this, but POVs will change. This chapter is in Sasuke's POV and the next will be in Naruto's. That will be the pattern. Hopefully you all will enjoy and want more.

**Vocabulary**: _Football _in this chapter is what is called _soccer_in the United States.

**Disclaimer:** The series _Naruto _does not belong to me – rather, to Masashi Kishimoto. All of the characters, name settings, etc. (unless mentioned or recognized otherwise) belong to him, not me.

**Summary:** Uchiha Sasuke has everything – the perfect status, the perfect girlfriend and the perfect image. However, like most seemingly perfect things, they do not last long. This is a story of how one Uzumaki Naruto can ruin it all. –SasuNaru- Other couples include: SasuSaku, ItaNaru

**Specifies Scene Change:** X X X

**PERFECT**

_-Sasuke-_

"Sasuke!"

With a low moan of annoyance, a male of about nineteen years of age turns his head to regard the voice calling him. A woman stands less than a few steps away, her hands on her hips and her expression scolding. The pair looks exactly alike, from the deep black hue of their hair to the curve of their thin lips.

"I need you straight home after school today. I need some help with preparation plans for the dinner your father is hosting, and he will want you straight afterwards."

"I was going to Sakura's."

The woman ponders for a moment. "It might be better to just go tomorrow. I don't know how long your father will want you. Don't be late; you know how your father feels about tardiness." Her once warning expression turns lighthearted, and she offers Sasuke a warm smile. "I love you. Have a good day at school, Sasuke."

"Thank you, mother."

With their goodbyes all said and done, Sasuke exits the house and heads toward the garage. His means of transportation, a sleek, up-to-date and expensive coupe, waits there untouched, not a dent in its metallic silver finish. Unconsciously, Sasuke twirls his car keys around his fingers – an expression of contentment.

Before long, the coupe smoothly exits the driveway and the young man is at his destination – a large parking lot, filled to the brim with cars like his. No odd shades of colors stand out, only the professional whites, blacks and silvers of mature taste.

Sasuke's school is exclusive, and he prefers it that way. Konoha School for the Gifted is designed to train the wealthiest and smartest teenagers throughout the whole city of Konoha. While wealth and intelligence may not correlate in a minority of the school population, none of the students are stupid enough to act out. Whatever happens inside of the school's walls is bound to reflect on the family's name. The pressure is high, but Sasuke does not care; he has got nothing against him.

After all, Uchiha Sasuke, second son of multibillionaire Uchiha Fugaku, CEO of Uchiha Technologies, is almost immune to anything. The school needs him more than he needs them. If he even makes a mistake (which the likelihood of happening is practically nil), his father could cover it up with a quick hush and exchange of cash. It is a good thing Sasuke is reasonable and mature; his father needs his money to invest in his corporation, which is much more important than investing in covering for a son's mistakes. Sasuke has responsibility to his family.

Fugaku's first son doesn't quite see eye-to-eye with this expectation, but that is none of Sasuke's immediate concern.

Exiting his car, Sasuke looks upon the campus scenery. It really is a pretty school, decorated with an impressive fountain, a well-maintained lawn and an immaculate pattern of flowers spread throughout the pathways. This kind of environment is what Sasuke looks forward to seeing every day; he cannot wait for the day he takes over his father's company and has the opportunity to create this kind of environment for himself. He could be content for the rest of his life.

"Hey Sasuke!"

For the second time today, a female voice catches him off guard. Looking to his right, he sees a head of bright pink hair quickly come in his direction, until the figure stops in front of him. The young woman offers him a smile, her bright green eyes beaming with happiness. She offers Sasuke a quick kiss to his left cheek as a greeting.

"Good morning sweetie. How are you?"

"I'm fine," Sasuke replies. "I cannot visit today. I have plans."

Sakura looks crestfallen for a moment before she regains her former excitement. "That's okay. I might as well take the time to plan some things with Ino. Would you want to come over tomorrow, then?"

"That should be the case."

Sakura nods. Her compliance is very appreciated; perhaps that is what attracts her to him above all over girls at the school. While the typical girl would probably complain about his duties or his busy schedule, Sakura understands the pressures of his title and allows him all the space necessary. While she does appreciate spending a lot of time with him, she is also able to be independent.

Constant clinginess would quickly grate his nerves.

"Well tomorrow is a date then," Sakura says, offering him another quick peck on the cheek. "Oh, and I almost forgot! I had a little trouble understanding the work for Yuhi. I don't know how you do it; mathematics just doesn't come to me…"

At some point, Sasuke zones out; good qualities also come with the bad. Sakura's one drawback is her tendency to keep talking. He supposes this one flaw does not make or break the relationship. He has no time to dwell on 'what ifs'; she suits the girlfriend role very well.

As they gradually come closer to the school entrance, Sasuke interrupts Sakura's chatting with respectful nods to the 'good mornings' he receives from passing classmates. Since the school population is limited to only the wealthiest class, every student recognizes the other. Sasuke's fame has gained him immediate popularity, and the students who admire him make it no secret that they acknowledge his standing. While Sasuke does see most of them as rather insignificant, he does maintain politeness.

This routine life makes Sasuke very content. The day only gets better as his class blocks pass by rapidly, with constant appraisals sent his way. His calculus homework has no errors, his language exam shows promise to easily learning multiple languages, and at all the same time, he even manages to sneak in a quick intimate session with his girlfriend during the lunch period.

Perfect. The definition of his life is perfect.

X X X

When Sasuke wakes the next morning, he instantly feels like something is off. After preparing himself for another day, combing his hair back in its familiar spiked style, putting on his uniform and spraying signature cologne, he makes his way to the kitchen where his mother typically is at this hour. To his surprise, she is not there, and the only thing Sasuke can imagine is that she must be sick. She would not leave bed otherwise.

As a result, he does not receive the filling breakfast she usually provides him. Instead, he grabs a supple apple, fills a portable mug with black coffee and then makes it to the garage. When he attempts to start his car, it refuses to turn on – but with a second try, it purrs quietly and Sasuke makes his way to his school.

When he arrives there, the first thing that sticks out to him is a bright red car in the normally colorless lot. Upon closer inspection, as Sasuke drives by the eye-catching hue, Sasuke comes to the conclusion that the red vehicle is an abomination to the name of cars. Its tires are entirely too large, there is no proper roof on the car (the roof is actually just a plastic cover), and an assortment of junk hangs off of the rear-view mirror. Its condition is pathetic at best; there are scratches alongside the driver's door and paint is chipped in several places. The person driving must have gotten lost.

Not paying any further attention to the worn down junk of metal, Sasuke parks his car in its usual spot. Not even within two minutes of parking, he sees Sakura shuffle towards him from her usual group of friends. At least one detail has remained normal.

"Hey."

A kiss to his left cheek.

"I know you don't like gossip, but I think this will catch your attention. You see that car over there?"

Sakura points to the red SUV. She doesn't wait for Sasuke's acknowledgement.

"Looks like the school is getting a new guy. I can't say I've seen him yet, but according to what's flowing around, he's quite a character." She follows her statement with a laugh. "That means you should probably avoid him."

"He doesn't affect me in any way," Sasuke says bluntly, following his girlfriend to the grand, oak double doors of the school's entrance. "As long as he doesn't try to bother me-"

"The hell you _mean_ you can't get my car in the shop?" an obnoxious voice yells from nearby, just before Sasuke and Sakura enter through the school doors. The little area goes quiet for a brief moment, obviously not used to such bustle and shouting. Sasuke and Sakura are no exception, quickly becoming silent.

"Look you old, decrepit pervert! Kyuubi is the only thing which gets me here – okay, so maybe grandpa does too, alright _smart ass_ – but you know I can't pay for it right now." There is a short pause. "Ask grandpa? The hell do you mean _ask_grandpa?"

The incredibly informal and crude manner the male voice uses is a shock to Sasuke's ears. Unwillingly intrigued by this loud commentary, Sasuke unconsciously seeks out the owner of the conversation. According to the rather loud shouting, Sasuke's eyes land on a bench on the main school pathway.

A male, to whom Sasuke has never even seen before, is currently sitting on the wooden bench, his form bent over with his arms resting on his legs. He holds a cell phone to his ear, with a completely annoyed expression on his face. The teenager looks disheveled; his blond hair, spiked in every direction possible, looks practically untamable. His uniform is crinkled, with his sleeves pushed up to his elbows and the top button undone to reveal a black banded necklace with a sapphire crystal pendant. His eyes are a very shocking blue, a deep hue which matches the color of the crystal around his neck.

The last detail, which perhaps is the most intriguing, are the three sets of scars on each cheek of his face. They are perfectly symmetrical.

Everything about the blond is messy, loud and attention-seeking.

Sasuke already dislikes him.

X X X

Physical Education. That is the only thing standing in the way of Sasuke's freedom for the day.

As he enters the gymnasium, he is surprised to see the locker room door open. He is usually the first one to arrive, always coming about five minutes early.

With a shrug, Sasuke figures that his instructor, Maito Gai, must have arrived before him. The thought immediately disappears as a head of bright yellow exits the locker room, wearing the standard gym uniform of knee-length shorts and a slightly snug shirt. Upon seeing the strange new male, Sasuke feels his good mood immediately ruin. He has not even gotten to personally know this teenager, and he already irks him every way possible. Maybe it is because of the boy's lack of etiquette, or his unfamiliar, bold presence. Sasuke does not need to get to know him to realize the new kid is the epitome of the stupid, stereotypical teenager.

With these unpleasant thoughts in his mind, his mood grows darker as he comes closer to the blond, heading in the direction of the locker room. Sasuke does not look at him.

"Hello!"

Sasuke responds with nothing. He can practically feel the frown from behind him.

"I said hello!"

Sasuke just walks into the locker room. He hears angry mumbling ensue from the blond, which slightly improves his mood. Going to his assigned locker, he slowly changes his clothes, killing time in order to remain as far from the new kid as possible. Sasuke does not imagine anything good coming out of an interaction with him.

When greater numbers of boys begin to enter the room, Sasuke decides to take his leave. A few boys are mingling by the bleachers in their own respective groups, and to Sasuke's inner sadist, the blond sits alone. Every boy who Sasuke passes by does their typical greeting; they offer a polite nod of their head, or wish him a good afternoon. Sasuke replies to all of them, whether with short words or a subtle bow of his head.

"Oh, I get it."

A random voice cuts across the gymnasium, causing the small groups of students to stop their conversations. Turning his head, Sasuke watches as the blond student jumps off the bleachers, and practically begins to stomp his way towards Sasuke. As he comes closer, Sasuke can see annoyance and disgust radiating off the boy in waves. None of the other students say a word.

"This is _that_type of school. You know, the one where there's that guy who thinks he's the hottest shit on earth. He gives his fake attention to the ones who kiss his ass, and completely ignores the ones who mean nothing to him. Wow, you're kind of an asshole."

Sasuke lifts an eyebrow. So this new guy thinks he can stand up to him?

"I suppose you don't seem to realize the hierarchy of things around here. They respect me, and I offer my respect back. However, I probably shouldn't even try to explain things to you – you seem rather stupid already."

The blond scowls deeply. "Stupid, huh? Good one. And they respect you? They lick your feet and hump your leg like needy dogs. Let me guess – because daddy is rich?"

The atmosphere begins to become very tense. Much to Sasuke's annoyance, a crowd begins to form around the two, but he would never lower himself to fighting with this pathetic boy. What do these people expect?

"I sense some envy, although your opinion means nothing to me. In fact, you mean nothing to me. Don't talk to me again."

"Stuck-up _asshole-"_

"My wonderful students! Look at you all, already out, dressed, and ready to begin exercise!"

The tension is immediately cut. Students quickly form into a line, standing to the attention of the newly arrived teacher. Gai looks the same as always, bowl cut immaculate and his green jumpsuit freshly clean and clingy to his skin. He tends to scare students; while very nice (as he commands every student to call him by his first name), if a student disobeys or is too slow to follow orders, he follows up with fifty pushups. No one wants to endure _that_ kind of punishment, especially at the end of a long day.

Silently, Sasuke walks to his place on the line. He watches the blond look around confusedly, not familiar with Gai's orders. A part of Sasuke wants him to get into trouble, but there is nothing for the blond to get in trouble for.

"Well, well! A new student who comes to retain their youth! Your name?"

The blond looks caught off guard, most likely because of Gai's unnatural enthusiasm, but he ends up replying: "Uzumaki Naruto."

Sasuke almost chuckles. His name is just as ridiculous as his personality.

"Naruto, eh? Tell me, are you good in any physical activities?"

"I've been told I'm pretty good at football. I like to believe that I also have a lot of endurance."

"Well Naruto! You are in luck today; I already had football on the agenda! Show me your best skill! I am always so excited to see students active in their daily lives. Why don't we go ahead and assign your spot, Naruto?"

Gai points to a boy at the end of the line who is abnormally pale, but his light complexion seems to suit him. His hair is long, pulled back into a smooth ponytail in anticipation for the activities to come. Sasuke watches Naruto quickly analyze the student before taking his place next to him. The pale boy grimaces in disgust.

The reaction makes Sasuke chuckle. If there is anyone who will treat Naruto worse than Sasuke does, it is Hyuuga Neji. He is one of the richest of the rich, who does not waste his time talking to those beneath him. The only people who reach his caliber are a select few, and Naruto would definitely not be included.

"Alright, warm up. Stretch and jog ten laps. We'll immediately follow with football for the rest of the period. Let's go!"

Without any protests, the whole class begins their warm up. As the class heads to their fifth lap, Sasuke notices that the new student does not look in the least bit perturbed by Gai's demands; in fact, it seems as if he is not even breaking a sweat. Perhaps that gives him one redeeming quality.

As they finish, Gai brings out the familiar black and white ball, along with a shining silver whistle around his neck. He looks absolutely ecstatic at the prospect of playing the sport.

"Alright, two teams. Sasuke, you're captain of team one, and Neji, captain of team two. Divide your teams one by one, and then meet me on the field outside."

Sasuke ends up choosing first, picking out one of the more offensive students at football. Neji follows after, choosing one of the stockier students who could graze a player and knock them to the ground. Back and forth they choose, until Naruto is the only one left. Neji is left to take him, but even then, he does not even call him by his name; he signals to his team to head out to the field, leaving Naruto behind.

Sasuke eyes him. The blond's fists are clenched.

X X X

"He's down!"

Sasuke immediately stops dribbling the ball, turning backwards to regard his teacher's shout. On the ground, one of Neji's teammates lies in pain; he clutches his ankle with a twisted grimace on his face. Gai kneels beside him before helping the young man to his feet. As soon as he is standing, it is obvious he cannot play anymore; judging by Gai's expression, the kid probably has a sprained ankle.

"I'll take him to the nurse," Gai shouts across the field. He points to Naruto, who has been sitting on the bench for the duration of a half an hour. He looks absolutely bored. "Naruto, you take his place. Now is a time as good as any to test your skills. When I get back, I better still see you in action!"

Gai does not wait for an answer, leaving a dumbfounded Naruto behind. Sasuke watches as Neji scowls.

"You heard him. Take his place," Neji states coldly, returning to his respective side of the field. The blond rolls his eyes, but follows Neji silently.

The game continues – and Sasuke is back in control, just as he was before Neji's teammate's accident. He quickly makes his way to the intended goal, dodging those who attempt to steal the ball away from him. With practiced skill, Sasuke dribbles the ball across the field. When he pretends to pass the ball, he shuffles his feet and circles around the opposing player. When he finds himself cornered, he passes the ball to a fellow teammate, but soon it is back in his control.

Before long, the only thing which stands in his way of shooting the goal is the person protecting it. Sasuke kicks his leg back, already anticipating the point-

-when a flash of blond rushes by him, and the ball is suddenly out of his possession. Dark brown eyes flash with surprise, but it does not last long; his expression turns irritated, and he immediately is on his heels to pursuing the new student, the one who took _his_ball.

Unfortunately, keeping up with the blond is almost _impossible_; Naruto's skill lies in his unpredictable patterns. He moves forward, then backward; he passes it to people who normally don't have the chance to obtain the ball. Naruto gives them glory until they have no choice but to give it back. And on top of this, within a minute of obtaining the ball, Naruto scores a point. The ball races past the surprised goalie, who is left stunned by the sound of the ball hitting the net.

Naruto's smirk makes his blood boil. He approaches Sasuke, his eyes wide with excitement.

"Fuckin' _try me_," Naruto murmurs to Sasuke, sporting an enormous grin.

It is Sasuke's turn for his fists to clench.

Eighteen minutes go by, leaving only two minutes left to continue playing. All of the players are sweating profusely at this point, Sasuke included; he even has perspiration dripping down the nape of his neck. However, Naruto looks even worse; his hair looks more untamed and his face is pink with exertion. Sweat beads at his hairline, and the front of his shirt is drenched.

As soon as Sasuke takes note of the soiled shirt, the blond unabashedly tugs at the bottom of it and pulls it over his head. Instead of wearing a thin tank top like most of the others, nothing is underneath his school shirt. As soon as the fabric hits the ground, Sasuke realizes the blond is practically _half naked_.

"What the hell man?" a random student calls, directing his attention to Naruto. "You can't just take your clothes off."

"You bet I can. I doubt Gai minds," Naruto replies, smiling at the annoyed teammate. With perfect timing, Gai returns from attending to the injured student, jumping up and down and yelling at them about the spirit of youth and excitement.

Naruto smirks. "Let's finish this game then."

The blond then straightens his back, revealing a toned stomach and a simple yet intriguing belly tattoo. It is a spiral surrounding his navel, about as large as a disc. The sight grabs Sasuke's attention, despite his dislike for the new student.

What a nuisance.

The last two minutes pass slowly and anxiously, but in the end, it is Sasuke's team who claims victory. Sasuke cannot help shooting Naruto a triumphant smirk, to which the blond replies with an angry scowl. For this time, Sasuke claims victory – however, it was not easy. Sasuke is hesitant to admit, but if Naruto was in the game since the beginning, there would be the possibility that Neji's team may have beaten his.

Sasuke will be prepared for it if it comes.

"That game was excellent! Amazing! Naruto, your talent is limitless! If you arrived earlier in the year, I would have encouraged you to spread your youth by joining the football team!"

The blond smiles, his grin reaching ear to ear. "Sorry."

Before Gai can comment any further, the school bell rings, signaling to the end of the day. Sasuke does not hesitate to make his way to the locker room, sporting an impassive expression. However, the inside of his chest betrays his outward appearance; it beats at a rapid rate, and it is not from the strenuous game the class has just played.

The tattoo. Somehow, it is imprinted in his mind.

X X X

"Sasuke, Sakura! Come down please!"

Sakura huffs in annoyance, leaning her head back against the pillow and rolling her eyes. "Your mother has the worst timing."

Sasuke says nothing; he removes his hand from underneath her school blouse, slightly miffed himself about the interruption. It has been a long day, and he has discovered that sex is a wonderful way to ease away all of his problems and worries. His all-too-willing partner will be in a slightly foul mood because of this abrupt stop to their activities.

"Well, I have to be home right after dinner," Sakura says, sliding her hand down her lover's leg. "Just a little bit more?"

"No," Sasuke answers with finality, detaching himself from the pink-haired girl. The last thing he needs is his mother to walk in on them in a rather private moment. If that ever happens, she will forbid them from ever being in a room without parental supervision. Sasuke is not a very big risk-taker.

"Fine." She concedes to his wishes, straightening out her shirt and smoothing down her knee-length skirt. "You will make this up to me tomorrow. I feel like it's been forever."

Sasuke reassures her with a peck to her still rosy cheeks. Her agitation disappears instantly.

"Let's go."

The two silently exit the bedroom, continuing their way through several hallways and then down the main grand staircase. Once reaching the kitchen, Sasuke's stomach grumbles with excitement; his mother is an excellent cook, and a full stomach tends to put him in a good mood.

"Sasuke, your brother is home; can you please set another plate on the table for him?"

Sasuke frowns, but he does not disagree with his mother's wishes. If there is anything he does not understand about his mother, it is that she still dotes on his brother, Itachi, like a child. However, Sasuke knows all too well that Itachi is anything _but_.

When dinner begins, his brother arrives late. As he enters the room, Sasuke has to refrain from frowning in displeasure; something about his older sibling just irritates him. The older man is dressed for his job, sporting a very tight sleeveless black top and dark jeans which hug his built legs. His hair is left down to frame his angular face, and he wears a set of black diamonds in each of his lobes. Itachi is undoubtedly attractive, although however slightly androgynous.

"Good evening, mother," Itachi greets, taking a seat next to his mother. She offers her pretty smile and pats his shoulder.

"What time do you need to go to work?"

"Not until nine," Itachi replies, helping himself to the food laid out for him. "I have a late shift tonight. Go ahead and lock the house before you go to sleep."

"I appreciate you being hardworking, Itachi," a male voice booms over the table, attracting everyone's attention. It is the male patriarch and father of the household, still wearing his expensive suit from work and sporting an equally expensive cigar in his left hand. Sasuke doesn't particularly like his father smoking at the table, but he never says a word. Fugaku will bite him back with criticism about Sasuke's shortcomings, like not having a job or generally not being as good as _Itachi._

"Although I do not understand why," his father adds, bringing the tobacco to his lips. "We have more than enough money."

"It is a job which gives me some work to do," Itachi replies nonchalantly. It grates Sasuke's nerves.

"You pour alcohol into glasses and collect tips for looking good. That doesn't sound like work to me," Sasuke says harshly. His mother lightly hits him in the shoulder, giving him a reprimanding look.

"I suppose you're right, Sasuke," Itachi replies, shrugging his shoulders. "However, I do enjoy it. It allows me some time outside of the house. It will stop when I graduate."

Somehow, this answer makes Sasuke even more agitated. Itachi never takes the bait; he never gets mad, and he never tries to argue with Sasuke. He always is two steps ahead, more nonchalant and indifferent than Sasuke could ever be. It is downright embarrassing, and having Sakura next to him makes it even worse.

As dinner passes, Itachi is all that Sasuke muses on. If only his parents could know what actually entails at Itachi's bartending job; he has seen the man flirt with others and he has heard Itachi's exploits (as Sasuke lives in the room beside him) but yet, he still receives praise. If Sasuke ever did the things Itachi has done…that would be the end of him, the end of his mother's high opinion of him and the end of being anything better than Itachi in their father's eyes. The double standards make Sasuke sick.

And Itachi still has the audacity to call him little brother. He is probably laughing behind those fake sentimental words, thinking about how _stupid_Sasuke is.

"Sasuke?" Sakura whispers next to him, obviously concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," Sasuke replies shortly. This is a hint to Sakura to leave him alone.

He cannot wait when Itachi moves out, or he finds a place of his own. That will be the end of this brotherhood.


	2. Chapter Two

**Author Notes:** Thank you to everyone who took the time to review! It keeps my motivation for writing very high. Enjoy the next part.

**Disclaimer:** The series _Naruto _does not belong to me – rather, to Masashi Kishimoto. All of the characters, name settings, etc. (unless mentioned or recognized otherwise) belong to him, not me.

**Summary:** Uchiha Sasuke has everything – the perfect status, the perfect girlfriend and the perfect image. However, like most seemingly perfect things, they do not last long. This is a story of how one Uzumaki Naruto can ruin it all. –SasuNaru- Other couples include: SasuSaku, ItaNaru

**Specifies Scene Change: **X X X

**PERFECT**

X X X

_-Naruto-_

"You know, I could fucking kill him, Kiba. He's a pretty boy _and_he's a dick."

Naruto angrily grabs at his almost empty beer bottle, finishing it within a few seconds and then discarding it harshly. The thought of Sasuke makes him violent. His companion, a male brunet with boyish features, smiles from ear to ear and playfully punches the foul blond on the shoulder.

"I _could_mess this guy up for you, you know. Prevents you from leaving that school."

Naruto scoffs. "Shit, I'll take anything to leave it. I already talked to gramps about it after school today, but he said I have to stay."

"I don't blame him though," Kiba comments, popping the cap off of the next bottle. "He just wants you to do well. The high school around here was just pulling you back, and trust me, I know. I graduated from there. Teachers didn't really care, students didn't really care, and you know I'm just lucky to be in college."

Naruto grumbles. "But this school is just so fake. I'm sure there are some really good genuine people there, but all I've come across are the 'lick my boots' type. The already mentioned bastard is one of the worst of them all. I didn't even do anything to him, you know?"

"This doesn't sound like a school for the gifted; it's more like a school for the parents who can give up the most money for four years," Kiba says, rolling his eyes. "Come on, drink another beer and forget it. Tomorrow's Friday, and then we can go out."

"You're a terrible influence," Naruto remarks, but his words lose their value as a cheeky grin spreads across his face. Kiba smiles, his facial triangle tattoos scrunching with the action. They both lay back against the couch, laughing and generally enjoying one another's company. They had found a stash of beer from Naruto's godfather, Jiraiya, and with the man away on a trip, they are currently lounging in the old man's apartment enjoying the privacy.

That also means Naruto has made his own curfew, and with tomorrow as the last day of the school week, the blond plans on going out. That school has killed his mood for the past couple of days.

"Maybe I can get laid tomorrow. That'll make me feel better," Naruto says hopefully. Kiba snorts.

"But I really don't want to go to the gay bar; besides, you don't even do or like one night stands."

"Shut up," the blond grumbles, although Kiba means no harm in his words. It is odd that Kiba, one of the most hyper masculine men on the planet, is close friends with Naruto – who while still masculine – is doubted in being so due to his attraction to the same sex.

Kiba is the person Naruto trusts the most, despite the slight age difference and orientation barrier. They originally met at the same high school, but while the blond is on his way to graduating this year, Kiba is finishing his second year at Konoha's University. The age dynamic could be considered strange, but the two click so well that age tends to be forgotten.

The only reason Naruto is in the new school is because of physical harassment at his previous, which just so happened to occur because of his homosexuality. His grandfather Sarutobi never wanted to allow Naruto to attend that high school, and the fight there only gave him the edge to finally pull Naruto out. The blond still believes transferring is a terrible action; he can fully well take care of himself. At least he could punch someone in the face at his previous school and not worry about a lawsuit down his neck.

It does not help that the only reason Naruto is allowed into the school is because of his grandfather's position as principal of the place. That old man, who has the nerve to just go up and place him in a new school in _February._He only has three months before graduation; Naruto does not see the point.

Sighing, Naruto takes the newly opened beer from his friend. "Whatever, I guess I have to deal with the crap. Oh, and Kiba, I'm sorry about my car situation. Kyuubi was working fine, but seems like it needs some loving from the repairman. I hope the commute to the school doesn't take too much gasoline for your car."

"I'm already in debt because I'm trying to get an education," Kiba comments dryly, clinking his fresh bottle with Naruto's and muttering a soft 'cheers'. "What's some extra gas? But you know I have to go the shelter right after I pick you up, so you're going to have to come with me. We'll only be there for a little bit before ma takes over."

"I'll do homework when you're at the shelter, _I guess_," Naruto says. "Now let's get tipsy and play video games. It'll help me forget I have to be at that school for a damn three more months."

"You're right," Kiba says, patting his friend's shoulder. "I _am_a bad influence."

X X X

"Kiba, you're so obnoxious. It's seven o'clock in the morning and you're blasting this dumb music."

"Don't hate."

"Too late."

"Then get the hell out of my car!"

"Fine. You still better be here at three."

"I'll think about it."

"Come on, _man…!"_

"Out of the car. I got class in ten minutes," Kiba says with finality, unlocking the doors with a press of an electronic button. The brunet's car is a bit more up to date than Naruto's own, who has to manually unlock the passenger door from the inside and slam the driver's door extra hard for it to close properly. Naruto could get used to this luxury.

"See you."

With those final words, Kiba speeds out of the parking lot, his music still blaring at an unnecessary volume. The bass has given Naruto a completely dreadful headache, and the incoming doom of classes will not help any. As expected, when he begins his trail to the front doors, some students stare at him and some even have the nerve to begin whispering.

His headache is only going to get worse. Kiba never turns the volume that loud when his dog, Akamaru, is in the car; he treats the damn dog with more respect than Naruto. He is going to have to talk to his friend about that.

Naruto makes his way to the second floor, avoiding passerby students and aiming for his first classroom. Classes start in about ten minutes, and not to his surprise, the class is almost full already. Naruto doesn't say a word to anyone, taking a seat in the middle row. With five minutes to go, he figures he can play on his phone for a little while before his teacher catches him with the electronic device. Yesterday, it didn't take the blond long to figure out his teacher, Morino Ibiki, is a tight ass who will rip him in two.

In the middle of a particularly engrossing level, Naruto feels a poke on his shoulder. He ignores it at first, until a second poke comes. Closing out of his phone, he turns around to regard whoever is there, ready to give them the nastiest glare on the planet-

-but seeing the innocent expression on the person's face, all of his anger immediately disperses. The unknown figure is female, who looks so delicate that Naruto wonders if she will break with the smallest touch. Her hair is long and full, almost reaching her elbows and wrapping around her petite form. Her eyes are eerily similar to the Neji guy from his gym class, but hers do not regard him with disgust or superiority.

"Hi," she mumbles softly, her voice equally as gentle as her appearance. "I noticed you were new here, and I wanted to introduce myself."

The pleasant attitude throws Naruto off guard. Since when are people nice to him here?

His skepticism must reflect in his eyes, because her small lips form into a frown. "I suppose you have the right to be wary. A lot of people here aren't the nicest."

"You've got that right," the blond says. "But you seem okay. Come on, sit down."

"Actually, I should really get back to my seat," the girl says, looking forward to her designated place in the front row. "But I just wanted to introduce myself, and hopefully we can talk more. My name is Hinata, and it is a pleasure to meet you."

Naruto smiles at her warmly. "I'm Naruto. While I am a new student, don't feel obligated to talk to me."

"I don't," Hinata replies, smiling softly. "It is taking a lot out of me to be standing here; I'm normally very shy. I just want you to feel like you have some support."

Naruto thanks her, and as he opens his mouth to continue conversation, the teacher walks into the room, his heavy footsteps already creating a commanding presence. Hinata mutters to him a brief goodbye before going to her seat and immersing herself into the lesson. Once Morino opens his mouth, Naruto follows suit, pulling out a notebook and paper.

After his first class, throughout the day, he sees an improvement in his mood – all thanks to Hinata. It turns out they also have their third class of the day together, and to Naruto's luck, she even chose him as her lab partner for that period. It is amazing what one nice person can do for his experience at this school – although while it is still shitty, it is much more bearable knowing some people do not care about social barriers.

Unfortunately for him, Hinata does not share the same lunch period as he does, which leaves him alone at a small table. This does not deter his optimistic mood.

What _does_deter him, however, is the predatory, snobby glide of the familiar Neji as he walks through the cafeteria. His 'I'm the biggest dick in the world' level is about the same as that other kid, Sasuke, although Naruto is not sure which student is worse. He really is not inclined to find out, either.

Naruto fully plans on ignoring him; it is not like Neji is going to talk to him.

At least that is what he assumes.

"New kid."

Looks like Naruto is wrong.

Craning his neck, Naruto sees Neji standing behind him, an absolutely murderous expression on his face. What the _hell_did he do now? Sit at the wrong table?

"Actually, my name is Naruto-"

"I don't _care_what your name is," Neji interrupts him, his words snappy and unwelcoming. "You will stay away from my cousin."

Cousin? Naruto blinks, regarding Neji with a completely confused look.

"I don't even think I've even met your cousin-"

"Hinata. Do not talk to her or even come near her with your disgusting presence."

Oh, _hell no._

Somehow, Naruto should have known that Hinata is too good to be true; go figure that her cousin is the asshole from his gym class. He cannot believe he has not realized it until now; their eyes are a dead giveaway of their familial ties. It is not every day a person is born with lavender eyes.

After a moment of contemplating his stupidity, Naruto realizes Neji has just called him disgusting. The blond is about to throw all caution and logic out of the window and just punch this snobby bastard directly in the face.

"She approached me first, asshole. Ever thought of that?"

"Why in the world would she ever approach you?" Neji replies, his voice full of doubt. "You're insignificant."

The holier-than-thou attitude is really starting to tick Naruto off.

"Maybe she isn't blinded by social class, like you. If you knew me and didn't like me, that's okay because you at least tried to be respectful. But you don't know me, and you act like I killed your damn dog."

Neji leans in, his long locks draping over his shoulders. He is almost nose-to-nose with Naruto now, and his expression looks even more dangerous. At least Naruto has tried to reason with him, versus just kicking his ass and calling it a day.

"I want her safe," Neji bites out word by word, his warm breath spreading over Naruto's nose. "And you, Uzumaki Naruto, are not safe. You know you do not belong here; I can tell you're not one of us just by your character. I will not let you take down my cousin."

The headache from the beginning of the day is returning full-fledged, and fast. Naruto feels like he is talking in circles.

"What the hell am I going to do to her?" the blond yells out, his annoyance quickly morphing into fury. He even stands from his chair, the metal legs screeching along the waxed floor. "Give her drugs? Tie her up and murder her? She is the only person who has been remotely _nice_to me here, so why in the hell would I hurt her?"

"Those are some very strong words, Uzumaki. Is there also an interest I am not aware of that is more of the sexual kind?"

"Holy _shit!_" Naruto yells, clenching his fists. "I just met her today! I can't fucking deal with you; I don't want to bang your cousin!" With those words, Naruto pushes Neji's chest, taking the taller male by complete surprise as he stumbles back. Saying that Naruto is livid is the biggest understatement of the year.

"If it makes you feel any better, your _highness_," Naruto bites back sarcastically, closing in on Neji, "I'm as fucking straight as a circle, so she isn't exactly my type. So please, _fuck off."_

With those words, Naruto grabs the remainder of his lunch and begins to stalk out of the cafeteria. He can feel everyone's eyes on him, but he holds no shame; he did not hide at his previous school and he sure will not hide here. His grandfather will probably yell at him for this – there will also probably be millions of angry calls from parents, who are absolutely mortified a gay student is at the school – but Naruto does not care. There are probably more people in the closet here than anywhere else.

As he exits the large room, he pulls out his phone. With a few rings, a groggy Kiba answers.

"You're going to pick me up right now," Naruto states with finality, leaving no room for the half-asleep man to argue. "Do it, or there will be an in-school shooting."

He hears Kiba immediately shuffle out of his bed, muttering curses and promising he will be there soon. It is not like Naruto will actually _kill_anyone, although someone who rubs him in the wrong way will probably be on the receiving end of a very nasty hit.

Kiba says he will be there in ten minutes and then he hangs up the phone. Ten minutes may not be enough time to avoid his grandfather, who will probably hear the gist of what has happened in the cafeteria very soon. If there is one thing this school is good at, it is the gossip; within the first twenty minutes of arriving at the school yesterday, everyone and their mother knew he transferred here.

The lack of privacy is annoying.

About five minutes into waiting for his friend, Naruto begins to feel the clawing sensation of panic in his chest. Yelling at Neji has to be the most liberating thing he has ever done since his stay here, but to reveal to the dark-haired teenager that he is gay – in front of a full cafeteria, none the less – does not seem like the best decision he has ever made. Sometimes Naruto has to question his own sanity.

Naruto sighs deeply. He needs fresh air.

Stepping out of the main doors, the sunny weather which envelops him immediately relaxes him. However, the familiar broken cough of an older man behind him quickly makes him tense up.

His grandfather. Looks like he has found him, just like he has predicted.

"Naruto."

"I'm not sorry," the blond says, turning around to regard his family member. The man looks weary and old, as if he has not slept in days. His eyes look sunken in and a frown mars his thin lips. Seeing this expression on the man's face makes Naruto feel guilty, but his words do remain true; he is _not_sorry for the preceding events.

"I figured you wouldn't be," the older man says before letting out a sigh. "I thought this would be good for you."

"These people drive me to murder," Naruto replies. His grandfather laughs, his voice raspy.

"Sometimes I feel that way as well. I know how powerful these people are and sometimes it does become difficult." The aged man brings himself closer to his grandson, laying a hand on his shoulder. "However, they know how powerful I am as well. I am in charge of the school their children attend, and while they may become unhappy about certain…_events_which have transpired…"

This makes Naruto wince. Way to not beat around the bush.

"...I am the best principal they have had thus far. They will not give that up. Being a principal here is like being the owner of a business; you have to be clever and you must pick your battles appropriately."

"I'm leaving," Naruto says abruptly, making the older man's eyebrows raise. "Kiba is picking me up. I'm not entirely sure I will be coming back."

"You will be coming back," his grandfather says with finality, his tone suddenly serious. "At this point, I see the students' treatment of you as harassment. Whoever bothers you next, you _will_report them to me personally. Do not even bother with the guidance office."

Pride swells in Naruto's chest; it feels rather nice to know someone has his back.

"No matter what happens, you _will_stay here. You are more than capable of doing the work."

Naruto raises an eyebrow. "The work isn't why you keep me here."

His grandfather shakes his head. "Despite what has happened these past two days, if there is anything I am confident of, it is that no one here will touch you. At your previous school, nothing keeps the student from resorting to violence. Here, these students have a reputation, and no matter what they may say, they will not lay a hand on you. Their parents will shame them otherwise."

Naruto laughs shakily. "On that note, I kind of pushed somebody-"

"And told the whole world your sexual preferences," the aged man comments bluntly, causing Naruto to wince. "You have done many foolish things, but this is the icing on the cake."

"Yeah, well, he got me really worked up. And like you said, any harassment and I'll go straight to you."

"No more misbehavior, Naruto," he says seriously. "And I will count this as skipping."

The blond's mouth drops open in shock. After this whole event today, his grandfather will not even let him _go home?_This has to be the shittiest day of the year, and his grandfather will count leaving in the middle of the day as a punishment?

"This is some shit."

"Language," his grandfather reprimands. "If there is anything I have learned, it is that by running away, you let your enemies win. If you leave right now, no one will ever take you seriously. Remember that. I hope you have a good day, grandson."

With those parting words, the principal gives Naruto's shoulder one last reassuring squeeze before going back into the stone building. Naruto moans pathetically, holding his head in his hands.

Why does his grandfather have to be so damn _smart_and _honorable?_And why the hell does it have to make _sense?_

Resigned to his fate, Naruto calls Kiba again. This time, his friend picks up after the second ring.

"Yeah Kiba? Go back to sleep; I'll be fine."

The last thing the blond hears before he hangs up is: 'What the fuck, Naruto?'

X X X

Naruto feels like he is going to die.

Last period of the day and the comments have not stopped throughout the whole day. He has been stared at and someone has even had the nerve of calling him a fag. Naruto wishes he could have pinned that kid to the locker and punched him, but he does not want another visit from his grandfather today.

Upon entering the gym, the class goes quiet. Naruto throws his hands in the air.

"I'm done," he mutters, stomping to the locker room. Everyone is probably dressed already because they figure Naruto will check them out or worse, pounce on them. Their lack of knowledge about homosexuality absolutely astounds him.

When Naruto emerges from the locker room, dressed and ready to begin the last period, Gai enters the gymnasium. The blond immediately goes to his spot, completely ignoring Neji beside him. He will not even glance in that asshole's direction, not after today's mess in the cafeteria.

"Welcome to the final class of the day, my young students!" Gai's voice bellows over the crowd, its enthusiasm almost scaring Naruto. It will take some time before he will get used to this man.

"Since football was so successful yesterday, I decided we will play again. However, I do believe some changes are in order; Naruto, you're going to be captain. Sasuke, since your team won yesterday, you can continue to be the captain. This will be such a youthful, exciting game! Pick your teams, and let us begin!"

Gai walks off and the blond can't help but feel a small sensation of déjà vu.

One last class before the weekend. He can do this.

"I am picking first, since our team won yesterday," the dark-haired student says, standing next to Naruto and crossing his arms. The blond huffs.

"Fine. That doesn't mean you'll win today."

"Assuming your team will cooperate," Sasuke replies, sporting a triumphant smirk. "Neji, you're on my team."

"Don't want him anyway, bastard," Naruto murmurs, before choosing his pick. Back and forth they go, until it is time to go to the field. The game begins and continues with little to no trouble, with both teams cutting close in scores. Sasuke and Neji are tough opponents against him; together, beating them proves to be more difficult. However, one-on-one, Naruto believes neither of them can outplay him.

As Naruto closes in to make a score, a sudden force pushes him to the ground and his face collides harshly with the earth underneath him. Naruto cannot help but hiss in pain, his head spinning due to the impact.

He can vaguely hear Gai yelling in the background, but Naruto doesn't try to decipher what he says. It is too difficult.

"…Naruto…Naruto…!"

"Ngn…"

"Come on…"

The blond feels someone wrap their arms around his back, and then he is slowly lifted up. At this point, he has gained better grasp of his senses, although his head is now beginning to pound. Looking up, he sees Gai is the one who is holding him up, but he does not wear his usual ecstatic grin on his face. In fact, if Naruto dare say it, the usually gay man looks _angry_.

"Everyone, push-ups, _now._I do not tolerate physical bullying, which has so conveniently started since Naruto has arrived! It is shameful that you all are picking on a student who is more than willing to express his individuality!"

Naruto winces. Now _Gai_knows he is homosexual? The blond does not do well with pity, but it is nice to know his teachers are willing to defend him when necessary.

"Sasuke, you will take him to the nurse. You will make up these pushups for me personally, since you are the captain of the opposing team, the team who finds it more than acceptable to gang up on someone," Gai commands, gently pushing Naruto over. The blond groans.

"Gai, I'm fine, really. I can make it myself; I've been through worse."

"Nonsense! After that impact, I do not want to risk any chances of you falling and hurting yourself even further. Sasuke, go take him."

Naruto quickly finds himself moving from one pair of arms to another, his form pressed against an equally as hot body. Naruto suddenly becomes aware of his sweat and the heat from Sasuke's form, making him feel very uncomfortable.

"Come on," he hears Sasuke mutter, "I don't feel like dragging you."

"Then get the fuck off me," Naruto replies harshly, pushing himself away. He stumbles a little, but eventually finds a shaky stance and begins walking on his own. Sasuke does not try to touch him again, although Naruto can feel the other student staring at him. It is unnerving.

"What are you looking at?"

"I'm looking at the large bruise that's forming on your face," Sasuke replies blatantly. Naruto groans.

"Are you serious? How am I supposed to go out with this crap on my face?"

"What, are you going to pick up some big dates?" Sasuke questions sarcastically. "You wouldn't have gotten far, even without that bruise on your face."

The blond cannot help but feel Sasuke's comment is an indirect insult to his homosexuality. He snorts; if Sasuke wants to be an asshole, then Naruto can be one too.

"Most gay men I meet prefer it from behind, anyway. Trust me; they won't be looking at my face," the blond bites back, offering his unwilling companion a smirk. Sasuke rolls his eyes, appearing mildly sickened.

"That's disgusting. Would you know from experience?"

"No, that's just what people tell me," Naruto growls back. "Not all of us are like that."

"I don't really care about your gay life," Sasuke comments. "I don't even care that you prefer the same sex. You're still the annoying, stupid new kid."

Sasuke's words catch the blond by surprise. Not caring about preferring the same sex? That is a new one, one which Naruto wouldn't mind hearing more often. He does nott like it when people discriminate against him, but he equally does not like a person who is on the opposite side of the spectrum, who questions his gay lifestyle with so much interest as if he is an alien. He would rather someone be neutral to his sexuality; it makes him feel more normal, rather than an estranged being.

"Don't call me the annoying, stupid new kid," Naruto says, hiding his newfound respect for the dark-haired teenager beside him.

"Then stop acting like it."

"I haven't done anything. Would you just take me to the damn nurse's office as fast as possible?"

"My pleasure, as long as it gets you away from me."

Forget what he said about respect. Sasuke is a _dick._

X X X

Naruto sighs in boredom. Watching Kiba sweet talk a woman at the bar is not exactly pleasant, especially when he knows he cannot do the same. Kiba suggested they go to a straight bar first, as means of letting the brunet enjoy himself before he has to endure being hit on by other males. Going there initially sounded appealing, but now, all Naruto wants to do is go home. He looks like a juvenile delinquent with this large bruise on his face, and Kiba does not fail in reminding him.

He lets out a sigh. Kiba has been flashing his fake identification, while Naruto has yet to take one drink. He just does not feel up to it tonight.

"May I help you?"

A sultry voice attracts Naruto's attention, and the blond looks behind the counter. A man with dark hair stands there, wiping down a recently washed glass.

"Excuse me?"

"May I help you?" the man asks again, hanging the glass above him. Naruto shakes his head.

"No thanks."

"I had a feeling you were too young, anyway," the bartender comments, smirking at the blond. Naruto blinks, stunned; this is the first time they have been to this bar and it is already a no-go. Then how did he give Kiba anything to drink?

As if the man knows Naruto's thoughts, he says: "And your friend? He is drinking completely non-alcoholic beverages. I thought I could fool him, and so far, it is working."

The blond cannot help from laughing. "And you will charge him how much?"

"A cheaper price, of course. It is illegal to rip him off."

Naruto smiles, feeling his mood lift a little. Knowing that Kiba is making a fool of himself _without_the aid of alcohol makes Naruto feel slightly better about being out. Watching his friend's misfortunes tend to make him happy, especially when he is under the weather.

"If I may ask…" the velvety voice begins, the man's eyes wandering to Naruto's cheek, "how did you receive such a bad bruise?"

Upon being reminded of the nasty shade of green and purple on his face, the blond frowns. He hopes it will go away within the next three days, or he will not show his face in public.

"A football game. It's going to be kind of hard to pick up anyone with this on my face," Naruto jokes, trying to humor himself. The bartender lifts an eyebrow.

"I do not believe so."

The blond looks inquiringly at the man, his eyes asking him to elaborate. The bartender smiles – a dark, seductive grin which Naruto must admit is highly attractive.

"Despite the bruise, I can see how attractive you are. Should I continue pursuing, or are you under eighteen?"

This response catches Naruto completely off guard. He immediately feels his face fill with red, suddenly feeling scrutinized under the bartender's brown eyes; he always assumes that in straight bars, there are only _straight_people. Obviously, this man does not discriminate, and by the way his gaze is unmoving, Naruto should have realized that this bartender has other intentions.

Remembering he has asked a question, Naruto replies: "I'm Naruto and I'm eighteen, but I'm not really into one night stands."

"Who says it has to be a one night stand?" the bartender questions, leaning in closer. Naruto cannot take his eyes off the muscles straining against this man's arms. "We can see where this goes."

"You asked if I was under eighteen. Does that mean you're a thirty-year-old creep?"

The bartender smirks. "Twenty-two; more than four years in age difference is not very appealing to me. I would have been disappointed if you told me you were seventeen or sixteen."

"As long as you don't anticipate intercourse anytime soon, I suppose we could make a deal," Naruto says, trying his best to remain as confident as possible. He may as well give this a shot, although he does not really expect anything serious to come from it. He has tried dating before, but the lack of sex always tends to push people away. It is not that he is prude; he just does not believe in giving it away within the first month. Beyond that point, he knows someone has to be serious about him. No one can play a game of seduction _that _long.

"It would be a tragedy for you to be an easy lay," the bartender remarks, grabbing a notepad and pencil from underneath the counter. "Call me if you are interested."

Naruto receives the piece of paper when it is handed to him, briefly looking over the numbers.

"It would be a nice if a name could go with this."

The bartender offers him a small smirk. "You can call me Itachi."


	3. Chapter Three

**Author Notes:** First off, I'd like to thank everyone who took the time to review. It means a lot to me. Now we are really going to start developing the SasuNaru here. I must say, I really do prefer writing Naruto than Sasuke, but I like the pattern I have got going here. It allows me to explore them both.

**Disclaimer:** The series _Naruto _does not belong to me – rather, to Masashi Kishimoto. All of the characters, name settings, etc. (unless mentioned or recognized otherwise) belong to him, not me.

**Summary:** Uchiha Sasuke has everything – the perfect status, the perfect girlfriend and the perfect image. However, like most seemingly perfect things, they do not last long. This is a story of how one Uzumaki Naruto can ruin it all. –SasuNaru- Other couples include: SasuSaku, ItaNaru

**Specifies Scene Change: **X X X

**PERFECT**

X X X

_-Sasuke-_

"I am having company today."

Sasuke pauses in his eating, looking at Itachi for a moment, before returning back to his lunch. His mother, as expected, smiles warmly. She always loves to meet new people and cater to guests.

"Well that is nice, dear. Will they be here for long?"

"Only for a couple of hours. We only met yesterday."

Sasuke has to refrain from scoffing. Itachi just does not invite people over his house, unless they are a potential sexual conquest. Sasuke does not understand how his mother has not figured it out yet; Itachi is anything but innocent, and Sasuke has had to bear witness to it many times. He would take revenge by being obnoxious during sexual intercourse with Sakura, but she is not very vocal.

"When are they supposed to be coming?" his mother questions. His older brother looks at his watch.

"He was supposed to arrive…about a half an hour ago. I can't say I am surprised."

Silently, Sasuke wishes Itachi has been stood up. It would mean that no one is immune to his charms, which have wrapped both their mother and father around his finger. Itachi is the only person who could decline taking over his father's company and get away with it. His father was not pleased when Itachi made this decision, but once learning that his oldest intends to pursue law school, he quickly compromised. This gives Sasuke the chance to take over, but it would not have happened if Itachi had not defied his father.

This cycle of negative feelings toward his brother is all Sasuke feels in this household. Adulthood and independence will be the best things that will happen to him.

"Do you think you should call?" their mother asks.

Right on cue, a set of knocks resounds through the nearby foyer, indicating someone's arrival at their home. Itachi excuses himself before leaving the room and his family's eyes.

"Sasuke."

The youngest sibling turns his attention to his mother, who regards him with a pitying gaze. Here comes the 'talk'; her sentimentality is nice sometimes, but most of the time, Sasuke is more than content dealing with his issues himself.

And this is going to be about his brother, he knows it.

"Yes mother?"

"I hope you realize how you treat your brother. I know that by being the oldest, Itachi holds a special place in your father's heart. However, please don't forget that you are his son as well. No matter what your father does or says, he will always love you as equally as Itachi. At times, I think you doubt that."

"I'm sure if I did not share his blood, I would mean nothing to my father," Sasuke comments, making his mother's eyebrows furrow. "Luckily, since his first son bailed on him, he has a second to be a replacement. That is about as far as our bond goes."

"Sasuke…" His mother sighs, her eyes expressing the utmost concern for her son. Sasuke feels that his mother is the only family he truly cares for. "Your father isn't very affectionate. But I promise you, he does love you. What you cannot find with him, I hope you can find with me."

Sasuke nods, not saying a word. Their conversation cannot continue, because Itachi returns from the foyer with the guest; he is blond, has blue eyes and-

"This has to be a joke," Sasuke blurts out, staring hard at the guest. The newcomer, unfortunately, takes a louder approach at the surprise sitting at the table.

"You didn't tell me that _he_is your brother!" the blond yells, pointing at Sasuke accusingly. "This is not going to work!"

For all of the commotion, Itachi does not look surprised. His mother, however, watches the exchange with interest.

"Why not?" Itachi questions. Naruto sputters about, flailing his arms and in general looking like a decapitated chicken. Sasuke has to answer for him.

"He is the new student at our school," Sasuke says, making Itachi's eyebrow raise. On cue, Naruto moans pathetically, putting his face in his hands.

"Your brother is_exactly_ why this isn't going to work. This is just weird, knowing that your brother is going to my school and that he's the biggest _jerk_on the face of the earth." Naruto then crosses his arms, a scowl appearing on his face. Sasuke must agree; his older brother and the blond idiot are most _certainly_not going to work. It is one thing to see a random female – hell, Sasuke can accept the random _male –_but Naruto? That hits too close to home. To know his brother is doing intimate things with him…it puts a bad taste in his mouth.

The two siblings' mother seems to share the same sentiments as Sasuke, standing from the table and regarding her oldest skeptically.

"Why are you making friends with four years your younger, Itachi?"

Despite the concern and skepticism in her voice, the oldest son remains impassive. Looking at Naruto, Sasuke notices that the blond looks ready to bail. Good; let him leave his house.

"Only four years, mother."

Her eyes squint, thinking hard on something. A few seconds pass before she states to her son:

"You are interested in him."

Itachi smirks, and Sasuke immediately feels tension build in the room. Naruto is not ignorant to the sudden uncomfortable atmosphere, either; he begins to fidget and attempt to avoid the glances from the female in the room.

"He's a child, Itachi."

"He established no intercourse from the start."

Her mouth falls open, obviously caught off guard from his blunt statement. Itachi takes this moment to put his hand on Naruto's back, lightly pushing him to exit the foyer. The blond looks hesitant, staring at the brothers' mother, but he eventually gives in to Itachi's touch and leaves the room. Once the two disappear, the female huffs and falls back into her chair at the table.

"Sasuke, I'm not as blind as you think," his mother suddenly says, gazing at her son. "Don't let that boy fall to your brother's charms."

Sasuke can't help the widening of his eyes, surprise filling him. She continues.

"Itachi is a good man, he is; but he has his faults, like all of us. Please talk to that boy, no matter your differences."

The youngest sibling wants to decline, he really does. But looking into his mother's eyes, her maternal instinct kicking in full drive, Sasuke knows he cannot decline. How does he get himself in these situations?

With a resigned sigh, he gives in.

Only for his mother.

X X X

For its extreme rarity in Konoha, finding a boy with blond hair proves to be very difficult. Sasuke begins to get agitated, considering giving up in his search. Before leaving for school this morning, his mother reminded him once more to talk to Naruto. He can understand why; Naruto stayed for the majority of the day on Saturday and Itachi quickly left on Sunday, saying he was taking the blond out. It wasn't for long, but it was enough for his mother to become skeptical.

Sasuke is not cut out for this.

To his luck, after ten minutes of searching, Naruto brings Sasuke to him. That boy's shout is loud enough to wake the dead.

"Look, leave me alone!"

Sasuke walks toward a small crowd, where he assumes someone is giving the new student some trouble. As expected, within a circle of students, someone is taunting Naruto, attempting to push him and laughing at him. He must give the blond credit; he is really restraining himself from starting a physical fight. As much as they do not get along, Sasuke will bet on Naruto winning. He has seen him playing football and he is no mercy.

"Come on, queer!"

"Naruto."

The bullying student immediately becomes quiet upon hearing Sasuke's voice. The dark-haired teenager enters the circle, much to Naruto's disdain.

"Come on."

"I don't need saving, asshole," the blond bites back, clenching his fists. Sasuke rolls his eyes; of course he'll take it the wrong way.

"I'm not saving you. We need to talk."

"About what?"

"With all these people?" Sasuke remarks, cocking his head to regard the surrounding students. Naruto looks contemplative for a moment, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Alright." Sasuke turns to leave, but not before he catches Naruto spit at the bully's feet, the blond regarding the student with the utmost contempt.

"I hope you know that the principal is my grandfather."

A look of terror befalls the student, but Sasuke and Naruto walk off before the boy can react. They make their way around campus, eventually finding a private spot by a small seclusion of trees on the border of the grounds. He sees Naruto check out the scenery skeptically before turning to Sasuke.

"You know, this is more than private. Are you trying to get at me?"

Sasuke rolls his eyes, which surprisingly makes the blond laugh.

"I guess chicks would love to be in my place, you know?"

"I'm not trying to have sex with you, you idiot," Sasuke comments, although his statement is not as malicious as it could be. For a boost to his ego, he adds: "If I was, I would've had you already."

Sasuke does not know why he says it, but it causes the blond to lift an eyebrow in mild surprise. The dark-haired teenager immediately regrets his words, already seeing the gears spinning in the blond's head. He has not just inflated his own ego; he probably has inflated Naruto's as well.

However, the blond only replies: "Thanks for the tip." He sighs, running his hand through the spikes of his hair. "Now what do you want?"

That small moment of civility immediately disappears as the two students revert to their normal, unpleasant banter. Sasuke is quickly reminded of his dislike for the blond.

"Don't talk to Itachi."

"Why?"

"He will manipulate you." For his own benefit, Sasuke also adds: "Plus, I don't want to see you in my house on a regular basis."

Naruto snorts. "You don't really care what happens between your brother and me. Please stop pretending that you do."

Why does Naruto have to be so difficult? Trying to be patient, Sasuke lets in a deep breath, followed by an exhale.

"Itachi brings in a lot of strays, whether he meets them at his job or he sees someone who catches his eye on the street. He uses them and discards them. He will not make an exception for you, so you should stop while you're at it."

"Come on bastard, you think I'm that stupid? He tried to get at me the first day I met him." The blond chuckles a little before continuing. "We both agreed to just chill. I know he still wants to hit me, but we will see how long that lasts. I don't give in very easily."

For some stupid reason, Sasuke wants to test Naruto's words out. Sasuke likes to think he can make a person fall for him within a week, and Naruto's declaration creates an urge for him to prove himself.

But none the less, the blond is still a _male_ and completely out of Sasuke's zone. Besides, he is faithfully dating Sakura, a girl who did prove to give him her body within a week. He wonders how Naruto's previous relationships could have survived without the promise of sex.

"If that's all, I think I will be heading out now," Naruto says, brushing past Sasuke. "Oh, and that dinner your father is planning? I will see you there tonight; Itachi invited me."

Sasuke swears he feels his eye twitch. Itachi must want Naruto _a lot_; to allow him to an upscale function, meant to impress their father's business partners, is an invitation to his wealth and affections. Knowing that his brother has been trying to woo the new student into his bed the past weekend is barely tolerable, but suddenly becoming best friends?

Preposterous.

X X X

"Sasuke, you look so gorgeous!"

The youngest Uchiha mumbles a 'thank you' to his girlfriend, barely paying mind as the pink-haired girl slips her hand into his. Yes, Sakura looks very beautiful tonight; she wears a body-hugging emerald cocktail dress with impressive silver heels. The whole outfit brings out her eyes and impressive shape, but Sasuke is oblivious to this. He is too busy searching for someone, namely a blond male, most likely accompanied by his older brother.

It is only customary that the Uchiha mogul, Fugaku, hosts these types of dinners and celebrations in an attempt to attract possible business partners and keep his current ones. Naturally, Sasuke, Itachi and their mother Mikoto are required to attend. Bringing Sakura is not an issue, because they have been in a relationship for over a year. Bringing a close friend is pushing it, but still acceptable.

But a _stranger?_Itachi is getting desperate.

"Sasuke, would you like to sit down and eat something?"

"Not at the moment," he replies, his eyes searching over the ballroom once more. He has already looked for the idiot earlier today; to be in his presence again is frustrating. At the pull of a hand on his sleeve, he stops his searching to meet his gaze with the girl at his side. She looks put off, knowing that she is being ignored due to his fleeting replies. The look in her eyes makes him feel slightly guilty, and as a result, he wonders why he is even looking for Naruto in the first place.

His mother has requested for him to keep Naruto away, but really, should he take it so seriously? Naruto is not his problem. Why should he be so serious over finding him?

Come to think of it, why _is_he so intent on finding Naruto? They are not acquaintances, which surely does not make them friends. If he gets thrown away by Itachi, it is not his problem. Sasuke has tried keeping him away and now he is going to quit; Naruto can find out the hard way.

However, still, the thought of his brother and Naruto intimate – it makes his stomach drop.

"Sasuke?"

"I'm sorry, Sakura," Sasuke murmurs, placing a kiss on her forehead. She smiles softly and he knows he is immediately forgiven. "I'm only a little distracted."

"Because of what?"

"Nothing important," he says, urging them to a small table. Upon sitting down, a butler immediately comes to their service. He offers a tray of sweet, carbonated beverages and small appetizers, to which Sakura helps herself to eagerly. Sasuke does not have a huge appetite, so he declines the food politely.

His stomach is bubbling too much to handle anything, whether it is liquid drinks or solid food. He is not sure why.

"So…"

The female across from him crosses her legs, drawing attention to her milky thighs. Sakura's eyes lock with her boyfriend's, a seductive undertone in her green irises.

"I told my mom this function would last late, so she said I could stay over. Would you like that?"

Sasuke raises an eyebrow. Her attempt to seduce is slightly comical, but the implication of intercourse later is appealing.

"That is good news."

"Well, how about we go somewhere when this ends?" she murmurs softly, leaning her body closer to his. To an outsider, it is apparent she is flirting, but she remains a respectable distance for the public setting.

Sasuke nods. "Alright-"

"And the _party_has _arrived!_"

A boasting voice shouts a short distance away from the couple, momentarily catching Sasuke's attention. He assumes it to be an already tipsy guest, but one glance in the direction of the voice proves the presence of two men, one he does not recognize and the other he most _certainly_does.

Sasuke is surprised he does not show up with his brother. After all that time searching, the blond idiot finds _him_.

He knows he should have anticipated the blond's presence, but it still shocks him. Naruto looks so different, dressed for the occasion and not in the typical school uniform. It is obvious he should not be at the function, because he does not wear a tuxedo or even a standard suit; a sheer, royal blue button up adorns his torso, hugging his toned abdomen. A black tie finishes the top, along with pressed slacks and standard black shoes. As always, that sapphire hangs around his neck.

Sasuke does not even realize he is staring more than is probably acceptable and that he has given Naruto's physique more attention than his own lover's – not until Naruto's eyes meet his and the blond offers him a smirk.

His cocky grin makes Sasuke scowl. He _truly_does not like him.

The man on Naruto's side who shouted earlier does not impress Sasuke in the slightest; in fact, he looks like even more of a delinquent than Naruto initially did in their first meeting. His shaggy, brunet locks look like a miniature version of a lion's mane and he bears trashy tattoos on his face. Together, they look like the troublemakers in high school, waiting to cause mayhem.

Itachi is out of his mind.

"Aw bastard," Naruto greets, walking up to Sasuke and Sakura with a grin on his face. The brunet follows him, a canine poking out from his lip.

"Is this the dick?" the other male questions, his eyes raking up and down Sasuke's form. "Pretty boy features, superior attitude…yeah, I guessed right, didn't I?"

The other's lack of manners is mildly agitating. Sakura seems to agree, as Sasuke watches her eyebrows furrow and her small lips form into an unpleasant frown.

"Excuse me, but do you even know him?"

"No, but I do know he's a dick," the brunet says, earning a punch in the shoulder from the blond. He winces in pain, while Naruto aims to answer Sakura's question politely. Despite Naruto's amiable demeanor, he and Sasuke are not on pleasant terms. They tolerate one another when necessary – like that odd moment today, when they were actually agreeable in one another's presence – but moments like that are rare. In fact, it is surprising Naruto did not ignore him upon first sight.

"Well, bastard, he _is_kind of right – you aren't exactly the most pleasant to be around. Anyway, if you want a proper introduction, this is Kiba," the blond says, gesturing toward his friend. Sakura looks disgusted.

"Sasuke has more manners than the both of you combined," she remarks. While this is meant to defend him, Sasuke finds himself annoyed by her remark; he can take care of himself perfectly well. He can speak for himself.

"Whoa, sorry," Kiba apologizes half-heartedly, holding his hands up defensively. "Didn't mean to crash the party, princess. Come on Naruto, where's that boy toy of yours at?"

At the mention of Itachi, Sasuke immediately scowls. He is the reason why the two of them are here in the first place.

Why did Itachi have to meet him? Naruto has this effect on him which he just does not like. The blond puts him on edge, and while not necessarily a threat, he acts like one. He has pushed his way into Sasuke's life without the younger Uchiha's permission; he has invaded his household, proven by his presence at this exclusive business party.

How else will he intrude in his life? Why is Sasuke even so abhorrent to this?

"Yeah, you're right. We better find him." Naruto offers a small wave as a goodbye, while Kiba already begins his way through the crowd. "See you around, bastard. Oh and trust me; I don't plan on spending the night here. Itachi won't get at me. Will that make you sleep better?"

Upon Sakura's questioning gaze, Sasuke immediately dismisses the troublemaking blond. Naruto only laughs before following his friend, and Sasuke can only hope the two will avoid making chaos. This party is important; they shouldn't even be here.

For the next couple of hours, the youngest Uchiha sits at the table with Sakura. He interacts with others when necessary, with Sakura popping up with words of her own when inquired. It is clear to say that while they both are relaxed, the function is rather dull. There are several brief announcements from his father, thanking everyone for being able to attend and offering his respects to all of his clients and business associates. The event is successful with no evidence of mishaps from a certain male duo.

As the function winds down, making it about three and a half hours long, Sakura arises from her seat and begins to subtly pull at his hand. By the gleam in her eyes, the dark-haired teenager knows it is their time to go and have more private time. Sakura's parents are rather traditional, but when the occasion arises, they will allow her to stay in Sasuke's house. The youngest Uchiha will not miss the opportunity.

Sasuke leisurely exits of the ballroom with a bouncing Sakura on his heels. They both make their way throughout the house, passing by numerous hard-working servants but otherwise no one else. As they reach the living room, Sasuke can pick out voices. No one is allowed this far into the home, so he urges Sakura to go upstairs and wait for him in his room while he removes the wandering guests.

He emerges from the corner, his mouth open and ready to accuse them. However, once his eyes land on the occupants, he quickly hides behind a small wall. The voices belong to no other than Itachi and Naruto, the two engaged in a discussion which is inaudible to Sasuke's ears.

What _is_ visible, however, is Itachi's hands pulling Naruto's tie loose. His fingers then slide to the buttons of the blond's shirt, unbuttoning the first with no trouble. At this action, Naruto places his hands on top of his brother's, stopping any further movement. Sasuke briefly wonders where Naruto's inconsiderate friend is until he sees the two occupants' mouths move again.

The possibility of watching two men have intercourse in his living room is a very unpleasant thought – especially when it involves his player of a brother. From what Sasuke sees, Naruto does not keep true to his words. Itachi has once more used his charms.

The thought is disappointing. Again, Itachi obtains what he wants with little to no trouble at all.

Sasuke's thoughts are reaffirmed when his older brother takes Naruto by the chin and dips his head to catch the blond's lips, immediately engaging the younger into a rather wet kiss. Naruto clutches at the sleeves of his brother's pristine tuxedo, tilting his head back to allow Itachi to devour his mouth.

This is all the youngest Uchiha can take to witness. The scene has completely turned him off and by the low moan he can hear – from Itachi or Naruto, he cannot tell – the two are completely enveloped in their actions.

Sasuke does not even feel up to attending to Sakura anymore. The image of Naruto, his lips claimed by his brother's, leaves a rotten taste in his mouth. Somehow, Sasuke knows something is wrong; this disgust is going beyond his failure to abide by his mother's wishes. It has to do with Naruto _himself_, as he once again demonstrates how he is slowly invading Sasuke's home.

He refuses to think about this anymore. Let them do whatever they want – Sasuke does not care.

X X X

"Hey, bastard."

The slightly higher-pitched tone of a male voice is a familiar sound Sasuke does not want to hear. He has successfully avoided Naruto the past two days, even while they share the same physical education class together. Naruto has not given him any issues about that…

Until now.

"I'm busy."

"Yeah, eating your lunch by yourself?" Naruto questions, sliding his tray across from Sasuke before taking a seat. Once again, he is inviting himself to Sasuke's private time – just as he invited himself into his life and house.

What an inconsiderate, selfish _idiot._

"Yes. I would prefer it that way."

"Look." Naruto sighs. "I don't mean to drag this out; I just want to know what your issue is. You usually give me a glare, or some mean comment one way or the other. But ever since that party, you have been rude." Dragging his fingers through his hair, Naruto's face becomes exasperated. His introduction slightly grabs Sasuke's attention, but nothing good can come out of it. Nothing good comes out of an interaction with Naruto, despite only knowing him for barely a week.

A week? That is all it has taken for the blond to interfere into his life.

"We're back at that point where you don't say anything, like that one time when we first met and I said hello. Just tell me what your problem is. You don't have to like me, but I hate knowing nothing."

"Who says there is anything to talk about?" Sasuke asks, not making eye contact with the new guest. He hears Naruto sigh obnoxiously.

"Me; I say there is something to talk about. Is it about Itachi, because there is nothing that serious between us."

The blatant lie makes Sasuke scoff. "I'm sure there isn't. That moment in the living room with you and my brother was a complete dream. If you're having sex with him, I don't care. I can't believe I even made the effort to even warn you about him. You are now on your own."

As the sentence continues, the bitterness in Sasuke's voice escalates. The final word is let out with a biting tone, and this is when Sasuke makes eye contact with his guest. He sees Naruto flinch, most likely because Sasuke's eyes are hard and completely unwelcoming. He does not want to see the new student – not now and not ever again.

"Sasuke…I didn't lie to you. Want to hear the story?"

"No."

"Too bad." The blond clears his throat. "In fact, you don't have to worry about me coming over as often. I know he's still interested, but he has promised to not do so much physically. I let him kiss me; just because I say I don't want to have sex doesn't make me a complete prude. I'm not sure if it'll work but we have fun together. A person who only looks for sex doesn't try to make plans to hang out, do they?"

Sasuke hesitates for a moment before replying. "That's nice, but it doesn't erase the image of you and my brother sucking face in my living room."

"Yeah, well, Itachi told me he's heard your girlfriend before. I'm sure making out and hearing people have sex are rather different."

Itachi has heard Sakura? Well, he must have been wrong about his girlfriend not being vocal. He feels slight satisfaction at knowing Itachi has endured the same pain as him.

"If I may say…" Naruto begins, taking a sip of water before continuing, "You both are, bluntly saying, fucked up. I haven't even known you two for a long time and the tension is so obvious. I think a heart-to-heart talk would be really helpful."

Sasuke's eyes blaze for a moment, completely thrown off guard by Naruto's comment. How can the blond even make a statement like that when he is not even that close with either of them? Everything about Naruto ticks him off.

"You know nothing."

"Yeah, yeah, okay," Naruto replies, looking rather bored. "Oh and by the way? If I wasn't absolutely sure you hated me, I'd think you'd want to do me. So much disgust for me without even knowing me _can't_be normal. If you'd like, you can take me out on a date."

Naruto must see the look of death in Sasuke's eyes, because he picks up his lunch and makes his move to go. As he departs, he starts laughing.

"I'm joking, alright? See you, bastard!"

Sasuke shakes his head, his mouth scrunching into an unattractive frown.

Sex with Naruto? Yeah right.


	4. Chapter Four

**Author Notes:** Once again, I appreciate all of the reviews. I apologize for the delay; my power has been knocked out. Anyway, I went to town with Kiba in this chapter; in every Naruto story I have on my computer, he is always the comic relief character. I also have more Itachi, but he is a real smooth talker. Lastly, now you will see why this story is in the SasuNaru category and not ItaNaru.

**Disclaimer:** The series _Naruto _does not belong to me – rather, to Masashi Kishimoto. All of the characters, name settings, etc. (unless mentioned or recognized otherwise) belong to him, not me.

**Summary:** Uchiha Sasuke has everything – the perfect status, the perfect girlfriend and the perfect image. However, like most seemingly perfect things, they do not last long. This is a story of how one Uzumaki Naruto can ruin it all. –SasuNaru- Other couples include: SasuSaku, ItaNaru, KibaHina, mentioned GaaNaru

**Specifies Scene Change: **X X X

**PERFECT**

X X X

_-Naruto-_

"Who are you texting?"

Naruto looks up from his cell phone, meeting Kiba's inquiring look.

"Who do you think?"

"I bet it's the boy toy," the brunet says, taking a seat next to Naruto. The two are at Kiba's family's shelter, waiting for the arrival of Kiba's mother before they leave. Kiba is in charge of the small dog shelter until about four, where his mom takes over for the rest of the hours. Naruto does not mind the stop; all of the dogs here are very sweet and taking them for walks can be therapeutic.

Unfortunately, Kiba tends to take that therapeutic effect away when he puts the blond to work. Hell, just opening his mouth is enough to do damage.

"You hit it with him yet?"

See; point proven.

Naruto briefly appears disgusted. "You know me better than that. We made out at that party and that's all."

"I didn't want the image," Kiba remarks, sticking out his tongue. "You think it's going to be more than that?"

"I don't think so," the blond replies, looking down at his phone once more to view the recently received text message. "It's funny, because the first day we met, he said he didn't want an easy lay. Now, sex is what he mostly talks about. I bet you this next message is dirty."

"Well open it."

Naruto does as he is told. Before he can scan the message, the brunet snatches the phone from his hand and starts reading for himself – aloud.

"Will I see you soon? I would like a repeat of that other night. You sounded very good when – damn it Naruto, I can't take this. This shit is too gay."

Laughing, Naruto grabs his phone, typing back a response with a quick movement of his thumbs.

"I really don't mind kissing him, but I don't want to lead him on," the blond says, closing his phone as he finishes the message. "It might be that time where I should get a boyfriend."

"You've got a willing candidate. What's stopping you?"

"His damn brother," Naruto responds, his mood immediately going sour with the reminder of Sasuke. He can say today's attempt to talk to the youngest Uchiha went fairly well, although Sasuke has not become friendlier to him. Knowing that the two are siblings is a turn off, and who knows how many more problems he will receive from Sasuke? He has made it clear he does not like Naruto, one of his reasons being 'I really care about what you do with my brother but I'm pretending I don't'. He is not even in a relationship and there is family drama.

"Yeah; he kind of is a dick, isn't he?" Kiba comments. "And that girl with him? That's his girlfriend, right? What a princess. I bet he is whipped."

"Nah, I don't think so. I see them around campus, but she's usually hanging off of him and not the other way around. I'm a pretty good judge of character, and I think she's more of a convenience than anything else. I've heard around that they've been together for a year or so, but he just looks so…_bored_with her."

"Alright stalker," Kiba says, narrowly avoiding a punch from his friend. "But seriously, I'd believe that. She looked _good_that other night; well, until she opened her mouth. She is probably one of the only girls that can tolerate his terrible attitude, so he screws her on the side too."

The two go silent until Kiba jumps from his seat, an excited grin plastered on his face.

"Hey, you know what would be good? If you started doing him. You'd have _both_brothers around your finger."

"You're crazy," Naruto remarks, rolling his eyes. "First, Sasuke has a girlfriend. No matter what you say, she isn't that bad; we did kind of bust in their conversation without being polite. Second, that's wrong. I can't do things with Sasuke when Itachi is already trying to do things with me. And lastly, no. Just _no._Until that asshole changes his personality, I am not in the least bit interested. Even if he did change, I don't want him."

"Bullshit," Kiba states bluntly. "I am not gay _at all,_and I can say he looks pretty good for a guy. Definitely you're type."

"Okay, so he looks good. But being my type?"

"Yeah you're type! Look at Itachi; he looks like the prince of darkness, waiting to take your soul. And Gaara, remember him? He was even _worse._Screw the prince of darkness; I'm pretty syre he could kill a puppy and laugh about it. Sasuke has that same dark thing going on."

The blond immediately looks offended, his mouth dropping open. "Gaara wasn't that bad. You seem to forget we dated."

"Key word: _dated._"

"It just didn't work out. We ended on good terms."

The ring of the entrance's hanging bell abruptly ends their conversation, but Kiba gives him a look promising that they will talk about this more later.

They both turn their attention to the newcomer and to Naruto's surprise, he recognizes the person; it is none other than Hinata, still dressed in her school uniform with her bag slung over her shoulder. Absently, Naruto thinks that she looks like the model schoolgirl, cute but oddly alluring at the same time.

"Naruto?"

"Hey Hinata!"

A shove in his shoulder briefly distracts the blond from the pretty girl. He scowls at Kiba, who has leaned close to him and is pinning him with a wide-eyed stare.

"You _know_ her?"

Naruto shrugs. "Yeah. She goes to my school and is one of the few I can tolerate. She's a real sweetheart."

"Damn Naruto; your homosexuality attracts the cutest girls!" Kiba whispers, his eyes returning to the female's figure. Naruto can see his friend doing a brief check-out of her body, his eyes lingering a little too long on her rather large breasts.

"Get over yourself. She's a holy virgin who isn't interested in guys who smell like dog. Besides, you're in college; it's probably against the law."

"Naruto, shut the fuck up-"

"Excuse me?"

Immediately, Kiba straightens his posture and offers her the brightest smile Naruto has ever seen. "I'm sorry, ma'am. What can I do for you?"

"May I look at your selection of dogs? I'm really interested in adopting one."

Oh no. From their conversations in class, Naruto is aware Hinata is a rather avid animal-lover. To her luck - or misfortune - she has happened to come across the shelter Kiba works at. She will never be free from his pursuits now. If need be, Naruto can see himself separating Kiba from her if he becomes a problem, but hopefully it will not come to that.

"Of course you may look. We have a variety of breeds, picked up from the street or given away by former owners."

The sudden smooth tone in his voice makes Naruto want to face-palm himself. The next half an hour is going to be long ride.

X X X

When the final bell rings, signaling the end of the school day, Naruto is finishing up the last of his notes. He pushes through people until he reaches his locker, where he packs his bag and then begins his way out of the school. Despite finishing his second week here, he still receives prolonged stares and discrimination from other students.

He cannot wait to get home. Tomorrow, his car Kyuubi will finally be ready to be out of the shop. It is very difficult to maneuver without his beloved car.

Kiba sent him a text saying that he would be late to pick him up, so the blond is left to sit by the parking lot. Who knows how late his friend will be; sometimes, late can mean five minutes and sometimes it means a half an hour. Naruto just wants to get off the premises and go home after finishing at the shelter. He is not really keen on going out tonight.

As he pulls out his phone, a honk momentarily distracts him. Looking up, he sees an expensive black sedan has parked close by and a familiar head is poking out of the driver's window.

Naruto's mouth drops open. What is Itachi doing _here?_

The older man makes a gesture with his hand, urging the blond to come to him. It is not like he can deny the man.

When he reaches the car, Itachi lets the window down before grabbing the blond by his collar and pulling him in for a brief kiss. By the time Itachi pulls away, Naruto is still stunned from being grabbed in the first place.

"I thought you'd like a ride."

Naruto raises an eyebrow, licking his lips. He tastes faintly like raspberries today.

"You know that Kiba picks me up after school. Why are you really here?"

The older Uchiha smirks. "Aren't you perceptive today? I texted you yesterday saying I wanted to see you soon. Here I am."

"Itachi…we're _not_going to be having sex."

"I know. However, I do not see the issue with you sitting on my lap while I kiss you. I will take what I can get for the time being."

"But then you would throw me away eventually."

"No I would not," Itachi replies, eyeing Naruto's hand stationed where the window is supposed to be. He runs his finger along the skin there, sliding against the flesh until it reaches the tip of the blond's middle finger. Naruto knows as well as Itachi that the older man is playing a game of seduction, but the blond cannot bring himself to hate him. He would never do something against Naruto's will and he will respect space if need be.

"I should forget about you," the older man abruptly says, kissing the tip of his finger.

Naruto frowns, wrenching his hand away from the older man. "Asshole."

"You didn't let me finish," Itachi says smoothly, leaning back against his seat. "I should forget you, but I won't, even if you aren't mine. If I just wanted you for physical intimacy, I would have moved on already. I like you as a person, but I also like you as a potential bedmate. It does not hurt to try."

The blond is silent for a few seconds before he lets out a loud sigh. He walks around the car, opens the passenger door and then throws himself in, discarding his backpack in the backseat.

"So what happens if I find someone?" Naruto questions, pulling out his phone once more. He needs to let Kiba know he does not need a ride anymore.

"I resign myself to knowing I will not have you, but I will enjoy the little moments we have none the less." In an attempt to emphasize his point, the older Uchiha leans over and places his lips by Naruto's ear, letting his tongue flick out and travel against the lobe.

"Your personality is nice, but your looks are _perfect."_

"It's so reassuring to know that my body means more to you than my personality. Both of you – Sasuke and you – have problems. Did you two not grow up normally? You both are socially awkward."

Naruto knows his words do not mean much since he is allowing Itachi's tongue to caress the cartilage of his ear with little to no protest. However, the blond knows Itachi is listening because his actions falter slightly with the mention of his brother's name.

"We may share some similarities, but would Sasuke do this to you?" Itachi asks, blowing on the inside of his ear. It makes the blond shiver; Itachi is _really_good when it comes to physical intimacy.

"No. What do you think?"

"If he stops trying to impress everyone and maintain his so-called Uchiha pride with that girlfriend of his, I think I would have competition. She is not bad looking and she fulfills the girlfriend role rather nicely."

Naruto appears confused. "Why would he be a problem if she is pretty and is a good girlfriend? Sounds like you won't have any competition at all."

Itachi chuckles, his sultry laugh warming Naruto's neck. It seems like Itachi has found attention elsewhere from the blond's ear, now showering the blond with small kisses on the thin column of flesh. "But that is all she does, act like the perfect girlfriend. She is much more like the perfect doll. He is content with using her as such and since she is in love with him, she accepts the role. As long as he does not realize what I have in front of me is much more of a treasure than she is, then I will have no problems or competition...unless of course, another man becomes a problem."

The flattery makes Naruto flush a rather deep red. Itachi's words make the blond realize how often Sasuke has been mentioned recently. Kiba is the first, saying to him yesterday to pursue Sasuke, and now Itachi is hinting to him a possibility of Sasuke being interested.

How surreal. It is funny how Sasuke tends to appear in a lot of his conversations, and considering how much he does not like the guy, that must be abnormal. Still, the blond refuses to believe the younger Uchiha is anything meaningful to him. He stands by his word when he says Sasuke is a bastard and he is not interested in a guy who will treat him poorly.

With those thoughts, Naruto places his hand on the back of Itachi's head and forces the man to look at him. The older man's eyes are smoldering and Naruto can tell Itachi would do anything to have him at this very moment.

"Well, he will never think of me like that. Now where are we going?"

Itachi stares at him for a moment, thinking. He then pulls away, straightening himself up and preparing to put the car in drive. "My house. You seem to forget that I did say I wanted to see you soon."

"Then what are our plans?"

"I've already said this, Naruto. You on my lap-"

"Just drive."

X X X

As it reaches ten at night, Naruto decides that he is not making it home tonight. He and Itachi have been here at his home since the older man picked him up. Surprisingly he has not been overbearing; while he has kissed Naruto senseless, it is not more than that. It is a lie to say Naruto is not tempted; Itachi is sinfully attractive and if Naruto possessed any less control, he would spread his legs in a heartbeat.

Why does he have to have morals? At the moment, they are _really_inconvenient.

A buzz from his pocket distracts him from his thoughts. Naruto pulls out his phone, not surprised to see a message from Kiba. What _does_surprise him is the message that entails:

_Got a date with Hinata tonight. Have sex just in case I don't._

The blond decides to ignore it. He hopes Hinata will be okay.

"Do you need something to eat?"

Naruto looks up to see Itachi emerge from the bathroom. It must be a luxury to live like he does; the bathroom, from Naruto's angle on the bed, looks like it is made for royalty. It is connected to his room, built for privacy and convenience. Naruto wonders if Sasuke receives the same treatment.

"Yeah. I'm going to get fat at this rate."

"A night watching movies and eating poor food will not make you overweight. If you are so concerned, you can go on the treadmill. I will pull it out of storage just for you."

Naruto refrains from calling Itachi some derogatory names, his teasing not in the least amusing. He asks for directions to the kitchen, not exactly remembering where it is located in this mansion of a house. After repeating it several times to himself, he exits the bedroom while Itachi prepares the next movie to watch in his bedroom. When they get tired, Naruto wonders if Itachi will urge him to sleep in the same bed.

It sounds like a good idea, but not for sexual reasons. Naruto wants to avoid the rest of the Uchiha family as much as possible, especially the mother of the household. Whenever they see one another, the looks she gives him make him uncomfortable. He is nervous that one day she will corner him and interrogate him. Since they are still strangers, that would be very awkward.

Encountering Sasuke is already unpleasant, so it is fair to assume the blond does not want to meet the father of the siblings either. For the sake of avoiding the family, Naruto could sleep with Itachi; for the sake of resisting temptation, he could risk seeing them while in one of the guest rooms.

How does he get himself in these situations?

Entering the kitchen, the blond lets out a sigh of relief. No one seems to want food at this hour and that is completely fine with him.

He searches through the food cabinets, finding some bottled water and popcorn. This should be sufficient for Itachi.

As he begins to prepare everything, the soft padding of footsteps begins to echo closer to the kitchen. So much for trying to not see anyone.

Unsurprisingly, Sasuke enters the kitchen; they always encounter one another for some reason. The teenager is topless with pajama pants hanging off his angular hips, exposing the v-like shape of his pelvic bone. While Sasuke is the epitome of a bastard, he possesses a body that is attractive to both women and men alike.

It is such a shame he is a bastard. Sasuke is _damn_fine.

However, once a bastard, always a bastard. No physical qualities could ever possibly redeem his classmate.

"I heard you were here," Sasuke says abruptly, slightly catching Naruto off guard. He does not expect Sasuke to talk to him.

"From who?"

"My mother."

Naruto laughs nervously. "I'm watching movies with your brother."

"I don't really care."

Naruto rolls his eyes, mentally calling himself stupid for even thinking that pleasant conversation could come from Sasuke. Itachi talks less, but he is much more polite than Sasuke could ever be. If he hangs out with Itachi again, it is going to be at his apartment and not in the Uchiha household. Everyone in this house except Itachi holds a grudge against him, and that is because the older sibling is chasing after him.

Naruto would rather be the third wheel on Kiba's date than feel so nervous around these people.

However, he will not let Sasuke make him feel anxious. He can handle him, the best way usually being by insulting him - which actually sounds pretty good right now, considering the younger Uchiha has already been rude to him.

"Is there a special dick gene in the family?" the blond begins. "You know, like a genetic mutation which makes Uchiha males complete assholes?"

Sasuke takes this question very personally, for he literally _stalks_up to Naruto until they are nose to nose. If the blaze in his eyes is any indication, the blond _may_have offended him.

"Are you insulting my family?" Sasuke bites out.

"No, I ask from making an observation," the blond replies, pushing Sasuke off of him by his chest. The dark-haired teenager momentarily looks bewildered, surprised Naruto has even touched him.

"And what observation is that?"

"Oh, just you and your brother," Naruto says casually, grabbing a large bowl from a cabinet. "From watching you two, I'd say there is definitely a dick gene."

"You would know, wouldn't you?" Sasuke sneers, angrily opening the refrigerator. "From all of the messing around you do with my brother, you'd definitely notice that part of his body."

The blond literally rips open the bag of popcorn, roughly shaking the bag in order to empty its contents into the bowl. Sasuke really has hit a nerve in him, one which he does not even know existed until now. Something about the younger Uchiha makes Naruto want to strangle and kill him, to the point where the feeling is so strong it almost scares him.

"I have done absolutely nothing to you, _nothing,"_ Naruto mutters.

"You make stupid comments. I have no time for you."

"Then why do you talk to me in the first place?" Naruto asks. "So _what_if I was even fucking your brother? I'm not doing you, am I?"

"You never could."

"Want to bet?"

So caught up in the heat of the moment, Naruto does not realize what he says until it comes out too late. His competitive nature does not always come in handy, and his tendency to run his mouth without thinking beforehand is definitely a problem.

He immediately goes quiet, his face quickly flushing a light pink.

He is so _fucking_stupid.

Sasuke knows this too, because he smirks, realizing his slip up.

"Oh, so you are interested in me as well?"

"Fuck off," Naruto bites out, throwing away the now empty bag. He better walk away from the situation before it becomes worse. "I'm leaving."

"No kisses goodbye?" the younger Uchiha replies, teasing him for his error.

Instantaneously, the thought of being rational flies out the window. _Fine;_if Sasuke wants to play that game, he will. If he wants a kiss goodbye, he will give it to him. Pausing in his steps, Naruto contemplates his next action, wondering if it is a good idea or not. His need for revenge eventually wins out, and so with utmost confidence, Naruto sets the bowl back on the counter, walks over to Sasuke and _just like that-_

-he grabs the dark-haired teenager by the back of head, pulls his head back and claims his lips.

For an extra measure, his tongue slides against the bastard's lower lip, followed by a nibble on the now rosy flesh. The kiss does not last long and Sasuke is completely unresponsive throughout the whole thing. Naruto is not sure if he did the right thing or not, but too late now.

He pulls away, taking in his frozen classmate. The blond will probably regret this later, but the completely stupefied expression on Sasuke's face makes it all worth it.

"There is your goodbye kiss. You're welcome, bastard."

And then Naruto walks off, snickering to himself.

X X X

When Naruto wakes the next morning, the first thing he registers is that this bed is very comfortable. He did end up staying in the same bed as Itachi, but considering it is a bed which can fit four, there was no tight squeeze. However, despite the bed's size, Itachi was _still_close to him. They were not spooning, but it had been borderline invading personal space.

With that thought in the mind, the second thing the blond registers is the lack of Itachi. He feels no body heat close to him and there are no dips in the bed where a person could possibly be. How long is he supposed to wait here, waiting for Itachi to come back? Hopefully he is just in the bathroom.

Sighing, Naruto snuggles closer into a pillow. He can definitely sleep until the older man comes back, whenever that may be.

However, Itachi could also just be in this room. He has not even opened his eyes yet; maybe he is somewhere in the room staring at Naruto like a creeper. _Yeah right,_that would be weird.

Snickering, the blond opens his eyes to search the room.

He immediately screams.

"Bastard!"

Clutching his chest, Naruto stares at the teenager at the foot of the bed, who is standing there like it is a completely normal thing for people to do. What scares him is that one, it is _not_Itachi; two, it is actually Sasuke looking at him like those children in the horror movies; and three, he actually predicted someone staring at him in the morning.

"That's not a very nice way to greet someone in the morning," Sasuke drawls, unfazed by Naruto's outburst. The blond looks like he has just suffered a major heart attack.

"Well, it's also not nice to stare at them while they sleep. How long have you been there, anyway?"

"Not more than two minutes."

Naruto regards him skeptically. "Why?"

"That isn't your business."

"Oh screw you, Sasuke," Naruto murmurs angrily, laying his head back on the pillow and pulling the covers over himself. "I don't feel like playing mind games with you right now. What time is it, anyway?"

He does not see it, but the dark-haired teenager shrugs his shoulders. "Around nine or so."

"Too damn early on a weekend," the blond groans out pathetically, clutching the blankets even tighter. "Fine, stay there and watch me sleep."

"Why did you kiss me last night?"

_Oh,_is this what this is about? Naruto pretends he does not hear Sasuke's question, but a well-placed cough from the younger Uchiha tells the blond he cannot avoid the question. Sighing, Naruto sits up, exposing his naked torso and rather ugly morning expression. He knows he has drool crusting on the side of his mouth and he can practically taste the rancid sourness of morning breath, but he does not care; he is not trying to impress anyone.

"You asked me to. Said so yourself; no kisses goodnight?"

"It was a joke," Sasuke replies blankly.

"Oh, since when did you joke with me?" the blond grumbles. "We're on that level where we can joke with one another? Damn, that went right past me. I was still in the 'let's-hate-each-other' stage."

"I'm here because I'm trying to ask you a legitimate question," Sasuke growls out, becoming impatient with Naruto's side comments. The blond glares in response.

"And I gave you a legitimate answer. You were screwing with me, so I screwed with you. What, did you like it?"

Sasuke scoffs. "As if."

Ouch – he does not have to be _that_ harsh. Well, Naruto cannot blame him; Sasuke is probably as straight as they come, and to admit to liking the same sex would be require a reevaluation of oneself. Sasuke does not seem like the type to bother with that kind of thing. Besides, they are not friends anyway; Sasuke does not have to be nice to him.

The blond kind of wishes this rivalry could just be over. It is actually becoming tiring, or maybe that is because he has been around Sasuke a lot for the past week. Perhaps he should just keep his distance from now on.

"I'm going to sleep now," Naruto says, laying back down and pulling the covers tighter against his body. "If you see your brother, tell him to not wake me up until twelve."

He hears Sasuke scoff, but he leaves the room one the less.

Naruto said he would regret this last night – and _damn_, is he right.


	5. Chapter Five

**Author Notes:** I thank everyone for all the feedback. Chapters are becoming longer.

**Disclaimer:** The series _Naruto _does not belong to me – rather, to Masashi Kishimoto. All of the characters, name settings, etc. (unless mentioned or recognized otherwise) belong to him, not me.

**Summary:** Uchiha Sasuke has everything – the perfect status, the perfect girlfriend and the perfect image. However, like most seemingly perfect things, they do not last long. This is a story of how one Uzumaki Naruto can ruin it all. –SasuNaru- Other couples include: SasuSaku, ItaNaru, KibaHina, mentioned GaaNaru

**Specifies Scene Change: **X X X

**PERFECT**

_-Sasuke-_

As he walks out of the room, Sasuke's fingers trace to his lips. He did not sleep very well last night, all due to that dumb idiot. The blond is not perturbed in the least by that kiss; he even has the audacity to blissfully sleep in his brother's bed as if _nothing_happened.

The blond is taking last night very well, for reasons unknown to the younger Uchiha. Maybe it is because he is already familiar with his sexuality and therefore is comfortable messing with other people. Or perhaps it is just Sasuke himself…does this mean he is overreacting? Naruto said he was messing with him, just as Sasuke was teasing the other.

But to _kiss him?_That is pushing it.

He wonders what Sakura would do if she knew; her face would probably become an unhealthy shade of red and she would beat up Naruto herself. He does not plan on telling her or that would complicate matters.

"You seem to be thinking very hard. On what, I wonder…"

Frowning, Sasuke's eyes take in his brother who is standing at the foot of the stairs. He is clad in pajama pants and nothing more, which means they slept like that last night - as if they are a couple. Sasuke does not understand how two men kiss one another, sleep almost naked together and yet could still _not_be a couple. He is not advocating advancement in their relationship, but he just does not understand the point.

"Nothing of your concern," Sasuke replies. Unsurprisingly, Itachi smirks.

"How is Naruto doing? Your bedroom is on the opposite hall. You must have paid him a visit."

"I went to ask him something and nothing more."

Itachi's eyebrow lifts. "I never implied anything more. Something must have happened, then."

Sasuke wishes he could just strangle Itachi sometimes; his clever wit and his skill at manipulation, while very useful, are not pleasant when they are used against him. Itachi knows when Sasuke lies and he knows when Sasuke is hiding something. The younger Uchiha can never win with him.

Then again, perhaps telling the truth could help Sasuke out this time. If Itachi were to know Naruto kissed him last night, it is possible that he would lose interest in the blond. That would mean the idiot could not come around as often and Sasuke would be left in peace.

It is worth a try.

"Last night, we met up in the kitchen. We started arguing, he made a bet and then he kissed me."

Itachi stares at his brother, straight-faced as he could possibly be. However, give or take a few moments, a possessive gleam enters his eyes and his mouth turns downward into a frown.

"Oh did you? Tell me, what did he taste like?"

Sasuke's eyebrows furrow, confused by Itachi's question, but he aims to answer it none the less. "He tasted like raspberries."

The frown immediately turns into a humorous grin. "Oh did he? Do you happen to know I use a lip protector with raspberry flavor? You must have kissed him, then. No one knows that."

Sasuke does not even wait for Itachi to say anything more; he rushes to the nearest bathroom, anticipating the onslaught of bile waiting to erupt from his stomach. Indirectly kissing his brother…he could kill Naruto right now.

X X X

Later that day, Sasuke has yet to remove the image of Naruto in front of him, his eyes closed and lips pressed against his. He takes it as a sign of trauma, but he figures it will disappear soon.

When the next day comes, the image grows even more prominent in his mind. He even begins to wonder about the spiral tattoo on the blond's stomach, along with those strange marks on his face. Naruto should be ugly; he should be absolutely repulsive to Sasuke, considering their less than healthy rivalry. When he does not feel any revulsion at Naruto's image, he begins to panic. Sasuke should not be worrying this much over a stupid kiss or a stupid kid, but his mind has conjured up pictures of Naruto – Naruto playing football, Naruto in that royal blue top from the dinner party. Naruto _this,_Naruto _that…_

Especially that tattoo…from the first day, that tattoo had him intrigued. It is not anything special – only a simple spiral – but his eyes lingered. Perhaps he should get his own.

Sasuke knows that these kinds of thoughts are not normal and that they are oddly similar to when people harbor crushes for one another. He refuses to believe it, but inside, he knows – but it is deep inside, and he does not even want to press it. These images can come and go, although he refuses for them to actually become true. They can stay as petty emotions and small attractions. He would not mind as much if he considered other men as well…but it is only Naruto, the stupid idiot.

In fact, knowing that these feelings even exist make Sasuke even angrier with his blond classmate. The more he thinks about him, the more he wants him gone and away from him – especially away from Itachi, where he knows the two are being more than platonic with one another. It makes him disgusted.

Fortunately, Monday arrives, and all these thoughts wash away as he obtains some relief by returning to his school schedule. The schoolwork keeps him busy, along with the fact that he has not seen the blond at all. He feels himself calm down until the panic from yesterday completely disperses.

He feels completely normal by his lunch period. He and Naruto share the same lunch, but he does not see him at all. Good riddance.

Biting into his food, Sasuke tries his best to not look for the student. Despite his subtle searching, he does not catch a glimpse of him. He is not sure whether to be relieved or annoyed; relief allows him peace to know where Naruto's location is, but annoyance comes from his need to even search in the first place.

"Uchiha."

Sasuke slightly jumps in his seat, not expecting someone to be so close to him. Luckily, he knows the stranger.

"Hyuuga."

He and Neji respect one another, but they are not friends. He must have something to discuss by approaching him, and considering that the pale-eyed male has placed his lunch on the table, it must be something important.

Neji cuts right to the chase. "Do you know your brother has come here?"

Sasuke frowns. Why would Itachi come to the school? Sasuke drives to school and back, and Itachi does have classes during the day. Why would he need to-

Oh _no._

"I was not aware," Sasuke replies politely, already knowing where this conversation is going.

"He comes for a direct purpose – picking up Uzumaki. I saw him yesterday and Friday. You know that is not good, Uchiha. If the public knew their oldest son was seeing a male, a male who has yet to _graduate_none the less, it would severely affect your family."

Sasuke knows this – he is painfully aware of this. It is not as alarming knowing that Itachi and Naruto are meeting in secret. While he does not approve of their dysfunctional relationship at all, if Itachi keeps it under ropes, it prevents any prying eyes from finding anything. However, Sasuke has not been aware of Itachi coming to their school until now. To outside eyes, if Naruto is being chauffeured by his older brother, it calls for speculation.

He does not worry about his mother making a big deal about it because she already knows the nature of the relationship between her oldest son and Naruto. However, his father would be an entirely different story. He doubts his mother has said anything; she knows how easy it is to anger her husband and such news of Itachi with another male would make his father go through the roof.

Despite of all these thoughts running through his head, Sasuke plays ignorant to Neji's words.

"Perhaps they aren't even together. What makes you assume they are in a relationship?"

Neji looks side to side, scouting for possible wandering ears. When he decides it is safe, he leans closer to Sasuke, his long locks draping onto the table in front of them.

"I have seen kissing, with and without tongue. Normal friends do not behave like that together."

The younger Uchiha's stomach drops. For all of his intelligence, Itachi is acting _stupid_.

"Thank you. I will talk to him."

Neji nods his head in response before changing the topic. Even while it seems his classmate has moved on and forgotten about the news, Sasuke cannot wrap his mind around Itachi's clear disregard for his family. For being so smart, this has to be one of the worst decisions he has ever made. He cannot even put Naruto at fault for this; he doubts the idiot even knows why the Uchiha name is so famous.

After school, hopefully he will be able to find the two. He figures the best way to go about it is by discreetly following the blond after their last class period, where his classmate will then make his way to Itachi's car.

Unfortunately, the remainder of the day passes by rather slowly. By the time he enters Gai's class, his heart begins to beat in anxiousness. An irrational part of him hopes Neji is just lying, but by the look on the pale teenager's face, Neji is anticipating the confrontation as much as Sasuke is. They both keep their eyes on Naruto, who does not seem different from any other day. Their teacher prevents them from speculating any longer, because once he enters the room, he orders all of the class to do warm ups before beginning a variety activities today, from weight lifting to sprinting.

Sasuke is sweating by the time the activities are done, but that does not deter him. He quickly changes into his clothes, keeping an eye on the blond all the same. His classmate just pulls off his shirt and continues on his way, going through the back door of the gymnasium and away from all of the students. If he were to walk around the hallways completely topless, that would cause a stir.

The younger Uchiha does not like the idea of following the student around, but he needs to see this for himself. He is surprised the idiot does not notice him trailing behind him, but it works in Sasuke's favor. By the time they reach outside, Naruto casually walks to the end of the parking lot. Sasuke's heart begins to beat erratically when he takes in the expensive black car sitting in the direction where the blond is headed. He keeps himself hidden behind a corner, not wanting Itachi to notice he is there.

The window on the car is pulled down, and then his brother's head pops out. Sasuke does not even have to wait long; his brother lays a hand on the blond's sweaty shoulder and then pulls him in, planting a quick kiss on his lips.

Sasuke's fists clench. He will not be able to intimidate his brother, but he is sure he can scare Naruto away with a few words. While they are not friends, Naruto seems like a sympathetic person; if he knows he is at risk of making his father's corporation a laughing stock, he would stop his odd and open relationship with Itachi.

He will need to confront him as soon as possible.

X X X

"Idiot, I need to speak with you."

Lifting an eyebrow, the blond looks up from his phone to regard the patient Sasuke, his hands in his pockets and shirt tucked in perfectly. He scowls for a moment before returning his attention to his phone.

"Yeah? Go ahead."

"In private."

"Everything has to be a damn secret," Naruto mutters, but he does not utter out another word of complaint as he follows Sasuke. They both return to the place where they had a discussion about Itachi. The spot is the same, an area inhabited by a clustered series of trees. It keeps wandering eyes from peering in, although Sasuke's primary concern is making sure no one hears them.

Sasuke cuts to the chase. "Do you know of the Uchiha Corporation?"

The blond scratches his head. "Can't say I've heard of it, but I'm going to assume someone in your family is in charge of it because of the last name."

The younger Uchiha nods. "My father is the CEO."

"That definitely explains the house and cars," Naruto comments to himself. "You know, the amount of money you all have is rather ridiculous. You all do anything good for the community, like help out animal shelters or something? You can't spend all that money, but I guess bastards like you find a way…"

"We're getting off topic," Sasuke bites out, annoyed by Naruto's blatant insults to his family. "My father is in charge, which means our family is constantly the center of publicity."

The blond looks bored. "And that affects me how…?"

"As I've found out yesterday, you kiss my brother in public," the dark-haired teenager growls. Naruto is so _irritating._"The wrong person notices, and you bring about a lot of problems. You put my family at risk, which I will not allow. I didn't like that you were seeing Itachi, but by showing affection in public, it is now completely unacceptable. You need to stop, or I won't be the only person you will worry about. My father is a very powerful man."

This tactic has to work; by bringing his father into the picture, Naruto must realize that this is a serious matter. Uchiha Fugaku can pull strings and he most definitely will make sure to sabotage the person who gives his family bad publicity.

Waiting to hear Naruto's promises of staying away from Itachi, he is shocked when the blond cocks back his fist and lands a hit directly onto Sasuke's face. He falls to the ground, his uniform immediately becoming ruined with stains of mud and grass.

The thought of Naruto punching him makes Sasuke see red. What does he see in this rude brute again?

He does not even care about his uniform; _no one_is allowed to hit him.

"You get this, you big asshole," the blond growls out, crackling his knuckles, "Itachi chooses who he wants to associate with. I'd back off if you were polite about it because I understand the importance of image to families like yours. However, you threw your father on me. You want to bet he will ruin my life? I can just as well ruin _his_if you want to keep threatening me. If you'd like, I'll have sex with your brother in public, too."

Eyebrows furrowing, Naruto kicks at the ground, getting dirt all over Sasuke's pants. "That'll do great for the tabloids, won't it, bastard?"

Usually, Sasuke does not let words get to him. He is the master of patience and coolness, and he sees irrationality as a weakness. However, Naruto's threat of blackmail is enough to push him over the edge. This is the first time in his life anyone has challenged him and the thought of this low-class trash sullying the Uchiha name, in addition to the already existing frustration of being attracted to him, are enough for Sasuke to get up and return the punch with equal force, hitting Naruto right in the jaw.

The blond steps back, pushed away by the fierce hit. He does not stay that way for long; he tackles Sasuke to the ground and makes a punch right into the younger Uchiha's chin. Soon the two are tumbling on the ground, taking turns in being the winner. One moment Naruto claims dominance as he pins his rival down, even managing to choke Sasuke with his hands; the next, Sasuke has the blond in a chokehold, making the other student's face turn red in asphyxiation.

As Sasuke holds Naruto's arms to the ground, his limbs pinned above his head, he brings his head in close so they are eye-to-eye. Naruto's normally bright eyes are darkened into an angry blue and his teeth are exposed in a snarling fashion. It reminds Sasuke of a trapped fox, as the blond's cheeks are tight, emphasizing the strange marks on his cheeks.

"No one hits _me,"_Sasuke bites out, kneeing the blond in the groin. Naruto's eyes squeeze shut, hoping to bring away the pain in the highly sensitive area. For an extra measure, Sasuke's hands clench tighter around Naruto's wrists. The force will make him bruise, but Sasuke does not care in the least.

"Itachi was right," the blond wheezes out, trying to control the pain he must feel. "You are so focused on pride. Is that what Sakura is for too? Keeping up your _image?"_

"I do not have to explain my relationships to you," Sasuke says harshly, bringing his face closer. "You know nothing about me or my family."

Despite his position, Naruto smirks. "That's where you're wrong. If there is something I have learned by being in your house, it is that you are jealous of Itachi." At Sasuke's widened eyes, the blond continues.

"You are jealous that he can do whatever he wants to and he gets away with it. You are jealous he is living life. You are jealous he is being _himself,_doing whatever the fuck he wants without caring about family obligations. You _envy_him and you wish you _were_him. Grow the fuck up, Sasuke!"

With a grunt, Naruto kicks his rival off of him, causing the younger Uchiha to fall on his back and land onto the ground. Naruto is quick to keep Sasuke there, imitating the same position Sasuke has used on him. The darker-haired of the pair attempts to struggle, but Naruto's hold is strong. Despite his small frame, he possesses a lot of power.

"If it wasn't me with your brother, it would be somebody else," the blond growls. "You should be glad it's me because I'm not using your brother for his wealth. If you think you can treat me like you treat everyone else, you're _wrong,_bastard. I won't back down with just some intimidating words. If you can't tell already, I don't give a shit what people think about me. You aren't any different, so please stop pretending like you can walk over me. You want to make my life a living hell? Trust me, I can do the same to _you."_

For the first time in his life, Sasuke is speechless. He will never admit jealousy toward his older brother, but the signals are there. Itachi does not have burdens; he works at a _bar!_His responsibilities are non-existent, considering his abandonment to continuing the Uchiha Corporation.

And Naruto's words? His refusal to back down is something Sasuke has never encountered. Naruto is speaking for himself, not letting others make decisions _for_him. A small part of Sasuke wonders if he should be more like the blond by making a path for himself. He is letting his family choose his life, but another part of him screams denial – to admit his family's control of his career would be throwing away his life goals and everything he has worked for thus far. He refuses to believe he has made any errors. Despite this, the confliction is still there.

As a result, he begins to tremble in fury, his teeth clenching. He could kill the blond right now for saying those things which have affected him so. He could _murder_him and display his body on the front lawn for everyone to see.

"Did I hit a soft spot?" Naruto asks, but it is not meant to tease or bait him. Naruto is as infuriated as he is.

"I don't like Itachi," Sasuke growls lowly, clenching his fists, "But I won't let him ruin whatever future I have for _myself._I will push anyone out of his life who is a threat to me."

Suddenly, Naruto's anger dissipates. His eyebrows furrow and his grip around Sasuke's arms loosen. The younger Uchiha takes the moment to wrench away from Naruto's hold, backing away from the unexpectedly silent blond.

"What is _wrong_with you?" Naruto whispers out, a genuinely concerned look on his face. Sasuke glares coldly, his dark brown eyes becoming a steely black.

"Nothing, you waste."

The blond ignores the insult. "You are so jealous of him that you will make sure he isn't _happy?_Sasuke, what has he even done to you?"

"He is the bane of my existence. He is everything my parents allow him to be. _I'm_the only one who can support our family name now, not while he goes around _fucking_whoever is convenient and abandoning his role. He will always be the golden child, no matter what the hell he does. He doesn't care about anyone else but himself. I work hard for my father while he does nothing. _I_have to be the responsible one."

Sasuke does not know why he reveals so much, but he is angry, disappointed and frustrated. He does not care about what Naruto will say or how uncharacteristic it is of him to talk about his feelings so openly. Someone can listen to him bitch because Sakura could never do that for him and he does not have real friends to talk about these things with. With Naruto conveniently sitting here, looking at him stupidly and with such emotional eyes, Sasuke just does _not_care at the moment.

"So that is why I tell you to back off. If you respect what I have to say and what I'm doing, you _will_do what I say."

Naruto looks at him blankly for a moment before replying. "You have issues."

"What?"

Naruto licks his lips. "I said, you have issues. Now I get where all your bitterness comes from; you're pretending all the time. Your brother has always been the better one, hasn't he? And you're just Sasuke, sitting in the background and trying to do his best…"

Sasuke snarls. "I don't need pity."

"I'm not pitying you," Naruto responds, not in the least perturbed by Sasuke's anger. "It is different to see it from someone else's perspective. I've only heard what Itachi has told me, so some things change when I hear something from you. But Sasuke, that doesn't give you the right to treat me or anyone else who has contact with your brother like scum…"

"If they are idiots like you are, then yes I do."

Glaring, Naruto pushes at Sasuke's shoulder. However, it has lost its malice; compared to their fight, the push is more lighthearted.

"So, is Sakura a façade then?"

"I'm surprised you even know that word…"

"Shut it, bastard."

Sasuke regards him coldly. "That's none of your business."

"I'm going to assume she is a cover for you. Does that mean you are actually homosexual or something? Coming out isn't that bad."

Needless to say, the younger Uchiha is appalled. Has Naruto figured him out? He definitely could not have, not after that fight.

Sasuke replies smoothly, despite the slight panic he feels. "I'm not gay. Not every male that you encounter is attracted to the same sex." He brushes off the dirt from his button-up and pants, but it proves futile; brown stains already mar the uniform and there is no way he can get them out without the aid of a washer.

When he looks up to pay attention to Naruto once more, the blond looks skeptical.

"Are you sure?"

"Am I sure about what?" Sasuke responds, irritated.

"About not being gay."

"Why the hell wouldn't I be sure of my sexuality?"

"Do me a favor and think about when I kissed you. You took it a lot more personally than most would," the blond commands, grabbing Sasuke's wrist. "I'm serious. If you are, you shouldn't be using Sakura anymore. Knowing that you are using her to cover up for your family image is really unsettling to me. I don't like it when innocent girls get hurt."

"You don't even know her," Sasuke says to him, pulling his wrist away. If only Naruto could know how much he has actually thought on that kiss. "How can you even say that?"

"I always respect women and their emotions. I don't like it when guys take advantage of a woman's feelings for their own personal agendas."

For a brief moment, Naruto's words make Sasuke feel guilty. His mother would say the same, and he knows if he ever heard those same words come out of her mouth, he would do everything and anything to do the right thing.

However, it is only for a brief moment. He knows he is content with Sakura. She puts him on a pedestal, is always attentive to him and is a very compliant sex partner. His parents approve of her – although Itachi has never mentioned or taken interest in her – but that never mattered much. Her personality is less annoying than all of the other females he has met, but that does not mean he and Sakura really talk on a personal level. It takes a lot for him to reveal some details about himself. He never has talked personally with anyone…

Except _this_idiot.

Despite this, Sakura is a great person. Sometimes she can talk too much or talk for him, and so sometimes she sounds more like a mother rather than a romantic partner. However, everyone has faults. He is pleased to say that he is not stressed by their relationship, nor does he find problems with it.

With that, Sasuke states: "Sakura and I fit well together."

Naruto shrugs. "That's nice, but you never told me what you thought when I kissed you."

Sasuke cannot even try stop the rush of images before they come to him. He remembers the day after, when he had constantly thought about the blond. He remembers becoming accustomed to the picture of Naruto in his mind and of how it became briefly normal for him to imagine the blond doing everyday activities.

Thinking upon his first kiss with Sakura, he cannot remember being so affected. None the less, Naruto is _Naruto_- a male - and he definitely could not provide him things which Sakura does. He does not care about these new feelings rushing through him; he will not explore them or they will just deepen and become worse. If he can prevent further development, he will.

With these thoughts, Sasuke replies to Naruto's inquiry with lies: "I didn't think on it. I wondered about it that morning after but that is all."

Naruto lifts an eyebrow. "Something tells me you're lying."

"I don't care-"

The blond does not listen to what Sasuke has to say, because he pushes the younger Uchiha on the ground before climbing back on top of him. He does not control Sasuke's arms or pulls back his fist to make a punch; he just hovers over him, his eyes oddly guarded. If there is one thing Sasuke has learned by being around Naruto, it is that his emotions are always clear to see. It slightly unnerves him that he cannot read the emotions in those blue eyes.

"I'm going to kiss you now and you're going to tell me what it feels like."

Sasuke immediately starts to flail, pushing at Naruto's shoulders with his hands. The blond stands his ground.

"I don't believe anything you are saying. It bothers me that you're living your life like it means nothing. I didn't believe Itachi at first when he told me, but now I see. You try to impress everyone – always trying to be the best. Everyone thinks you are on the outside, but in your home, you feel second. You try to be something more; you date a pretty girl, you inherit Itachi's position…you let those things define who you are. You haven't discovered what you really want yourself."

What the hell does Naruto think he is doing? The words rush through Sasuke's ears and he feels his heart lift and pump anxiously. Naruto is treading into dangerous territory, but what scares Sasuke the most is that most of his words ring true. He tries – he tries and tries and _tries_to be what his parents need. However, what he has now…he is sure it makes him comfortable. Sakura is comfortable for him and he is comfortable being the rich Uchiha, waiting to take hold of his father's company.

"I am comfortable and completely fine without you interfering."

"But are you happy?" Naruto retaliates, grinning from ear to ear. Why is his smile so big? And why is he even _smiling_with his stupid busted lip and swelling left eye?

"I'm happy-"

"And you're a damn liar, but I guess that isn't my problem, is it?"

Sasuke scowls. "I'm not lying, and no, it isn't your problem."

"But I'm making it my problem, you know. For some dumb reason, I want to help you. I'm a pacifist at heart."

"I don't give a shit."

"Well, better start giving a shit, because I'm going to kiss you and I think you're going to like it."

Naruto does not wait for any hesitation this time; he quickly pushes his bloody lip against Sasuke's, feeling the chapped flesh and coaxing it. Both boys' eyes remain open, completely frozen, but their mouths are moving animatedly. The blond lets out a low groan, shocking Sasuke and causing his mouth to open.

Thankfully, there is no hint of raspberries this time; Naruto's taste and scent are unique. It is completely original and not flavored of anything artificial. In comparison, kissing Sakura is like kissing candy; her mouth always tastes of the recent gum she has chewed or the flavored lip gloss she wears. He _hates_sweets, but he always has seen it as a necessary evil for being with a female. Needless to say, he prefers this taste more.

His hands become lax against Naruto's shoulders, not even realizing as his fingers start making small circles into the blond's shoulders. It causes the other to moan, and that makes Sasuke break the kiss, taking in a sharp gasp of air.

The action must be comical because the blond starts laughing, his warm breath fanning over Sasuke's face.

"Bet you haven't been kissed _that_good before."

"You're an idiot," Sasuke remarks, but he makes no move to push the blond off of him. Naruto takes the opportunity to let his tongue softly explore the bottom of Sasuke's lip, keeping his gaze locked with his classmate's. With his eyes half-mast, Sasuke is not sure what to feel like. This is absolutely new for him, but he would not say it is unpleasant. Naruto tastes good, he definitely knows how to kiss and he does not look so irritating and repulsive right now.

"So…" Licking his lips, Naruto pulls away but he still remains hovering over Sasuke. "Liked it?"

Sasuke can take the easy way out by pushing the blond off of him, possibly punching him again and then forgetting everything that happened. However, he is caught up in his emotions at this moment, and so he answers truthfully.

Besides, there is no way he can hide the slightly protruding bulge in his slacks.

"You don't taste like candy. It makes it more pleasant."

Naruto nods. "Sasuke, I don't think you should be with her."

The younger Uchiha lifts an eyebrow. "Why?"

"You haven't complained _once_about feeling bad about doing this. You haven't even mentioned her name throughout this whole kissing thing. You might still like girls but I'm not sure if she's the one that you want. _Plus,_you're hard. No straight man gets hard from kissing the same sex."

"She is everything that is perfect-"

"For your mother and father," Naruto interrupts, standing from his position atop of the other teenager. "Like I said, you should be doing things for yourself, not for the pleasure of anyone else. For being so selfish and arrogant, you are really selfless at the same time."

"Why do you even care in the first place?" Sasuke asks, oddly cold by Naruto's sudden distance. The blond regards him for a moment, something flashing in his eyes.

"Cause I don't want to keep fighting and I was like you once. Better stop it now before you make a big mistake later."

"So what do you propose?" Sasuke remarks bitingly, standing from his position on the ground. Within a span of ten minutes, he has been punched in the face, yelled at, reevaluated his life decisions and kissed by a male.

On top of that, his uniform is _ruined._

"Just think about it. I wouldn't lead her on anymore," the blond replies. "But I won't interfere. It's not like I'm going to steal you away from her. I just helped you along."

Sasuke freezes. After _all that_– their fight, their kissing, the exposed emotions – Naruto does not even want him? The blond has used him? Sasuke has not been attracted to _any_males in his life, but suddenly Naruto shows up and everything changes. In some indirect way, Sasuke feels rejected, although he never revealed his feelings in the first place.

_Doesn't matter._Naruto cannot _do_that to him.

"After all of that, you don't even want me? You truly did it for the sake of helping me?"

Confused, Naruto nods hesitantly. "You might be good looking, but you've got a long way to go. Not exactly my type, Sasuke. I like my man to treat me well, _not_make fun of me every time he sees me. I'm just trying to help you out."

"So all of that," Sasuke growls out, clenching his fists, "and you don't _want_me? Before this, I have been straight and happy about it. I let you kiss me for some stupid reason and then you tell me it's all for the sake of just helping me? Do you know how much you affected me after that first kiss and how I couldn't stop thinking about you, you _idiot?"_

Blue eyes widen considerably. "You told me you didn't think about it at all, asshole!"

"Are you so dense to not realize a _lie?"_

The blond bites his lip. "Sasuke, shit, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to lead you on or anything; we fucking hate each other, remember? How was I supposed to know you were actually attracted to me?"

"I still hate you," Sasuke snarls, grabbing hold of Naruto's ruined button-up and pulling him close. "But now I hate you _and_want you. I have never been attracted to a man, but you wanted to kiss me and now I can't get you out of my head. Deal with the consequences, idiot."

With that, Sasuke brings Naruto's face to his for a bruising kiss, his teeth immediately biting at Naruto's lips. He hears the blond moan in slight pain, but he continues to furiously invade Naruto's mouth, his tongue licking anywhere accessible. His hand wraps around Naruto's hips, pushing against his lower back so that the two are close. The brush of his arousal against Naruto's thigh surprises him, and he throws his head back with a hiss.

"Sasuke, Sasuke _stop._I said I was fucking sorry!"

"Fine," Sasuke growls, pushing Naruto away. The blond falls back and hits a tree, his face contorting in pain with the impact.

"You've ruined everything. Stay away from Itachi and stay away from _me._I let you in just a small bit and you say you want to help me, but you're just using me. I'm fine with my fucking _perfect_life and my girlfriend. You ruin me and I will ruin you."

With those final words, Sasuke stalks from the small area, eager to never, _ever_see Naruto again.

This is a terrible day – and the clouds overhanging above reflect it. He feels like an asshole for betraying Sakura, his family and himself.

Because no matter what, after today, he will not be able to forget Naruto.

He likes the stupid idiot; Sasuke _wants_him and there is nothing he can do about it. He was better off being ignorant.

X X X

Looking into the mirror, Sasuke feels tired. It is not the kind where he needs sleep; it is emotional exhaustion, especially considering his enlightening experience yesterday. He had to miss school because of that lowlife, not only because of the uniform but also because of Sasuke's inability to think straight.

Truthfully, he should not really care about Naruto's words. The younger Uchiha could not have expected anything more; he should have realized Naruto's intentions. Naruto has never wanted him - that idiot is too righteous and nice to talk to Itachi and him at the same time, especially with Sasuke's current relationship status.

Despite Naruto's intentions, that does not erase the feelings from yesterday. Sasuke has told himself millions of times over that while the feelings are there, they cannot be developed. With that one offered kiss from the blond, Sasuke has fallen even deeper. He even grabbed him and showed Naruto how much he wants him. That encounter still remains to be one of the most passionate he has ever had; he has not experienced so many feelings in a sexual situation before.

He has never been attracted to any other man _but_Naruto. He wishes he could forget this, forget their conversation yesterday…

…_but he can't!_Sasuke feels like he is betraying everyone. If his family knew his crush for the blond…his mother would be disappointed with him, his father would be livid and Itachi would be all-knowing. Sakura would be distraught, and despite her small annoyances, she is _good_to him. She wants the best for him and takes into account his dreams and wants. She treats him with respect. Perhaps this would be easier if Sakura could have just been a selfish female with no intentions but to date the most well-known name in Konoha. That would have been much easier.

However, she is a beautiful, almost selfless woman who does not deserve that kind of treatment. Sasuke is the bad guy here.

This situation is making his head hurt. It is a shame he does not have very useful friends or acquaintances.

Taking in a deep breath of air, the younger Uchiha glances one last time into the mirror. Viewing his reflection, he realizes how much he and Naruto's physical appearances differ. As cliché as it sounds, he could say Naruto is the sun and he is the moon. Their contrasts are so great that they just look like they could belong together…

Thinking on it, he realizes such a relationship would be impossible. Sakura and his family would be the primary barriers, followed by his already unstable relationship with Naruto. Feelings do not just pop out whenever it is convenient, and Naruto has made it clear they do not exist. Sasuke may be very handsome, but Naruto seems confident that Sasuke is not what he needs. With Sasuke so focused on his pre-destined job, it would be a tedious road to even build a relationship with Naruto, especially when the blond does not want him _that_much.

Grabbing his keys, Sasuke strides out of his room and house with his head held high. He will not be brought down by such frivolous relationship problems.

He drives toward the school maintaining a calm composure. After he parks his car, he inhales heavily, preparing himself for an already upcoming long day. He makes his way to a lone bench, using the spot to relax until school starts.

Sasuke does not anticipate a student's approach, but soon after he sits down, a figure stands in front of him. Glancing upwards, Sasuke licks his lips, taking in the youthful face of his blond classmate and the concern etched in his blue gaze. He is still angry from yesterday, but he feels some of the negativity melt by looking into the blond's guilty gaze.

"Sasuke…"

"I thought I told you to leave me alone."

"I wanted to apologize," the blond continues, his fingers playing with his keychain. He seems nervous.

When Sasuke does not reply, Naruto goes on, but in a much quieter voice. It would not do any good for others to hear.

"I didn't intend to lead you on, but somehow, it happened. For that, I'm really sorry. I just wanted you to understand that there's more out there than what you think. I don't know why I want to help you, but I do know what it's like to constantly pretend. I did it before I came out. I don't want anyone to do that, including you."

"Then how was it for you? When you came out?" Sasuke questions softly, his head tilting up. His long bangs cover some of his eyes, but the strong gaze is still visible through raven locks.

"It was shitty. I'm at this school because people really tried to hurt me because of my sexuality. I feel good though, knowing I can just be fucking _gay_and not care."

"I'm not homosexual, Naruto," Sasuke says, the name rolling off his tongue with the most politeness he has ever given to Naruto. The blond has to understand what he is experiencing.

"But-"

"I told you yesterday; I've never been interested in any other men but you. It's not men, it's just _you."_

The blond sighs. "You know that it's not going to be."

Sasuke nods, his eyes immediately becoming guarded. His thoughts are reaffirmed by Naruto's words; he will not make the mistake of trying to go further or diving mindlessly into this relationship even more. He keeps forgetting about Sakura and his family every time he looks in those eyes - and that is dangerous. He cannot fall for an unwilling participant.

"It makes my life easier if you would just stay away from me, so I can get over…whatever this is that I have for you. Like you said yesterday – I hate you, you hate me. We move on, we graduate and we forget. My words still stand about Itachi as well; it is best you keep away from us. If you don't, I will enlighten my father. This does not continue."

The blond's shoulders slump. Ever since he has been here, Sasuke has never seen Naruto this defeated.

The thought both relieves and disappoints him. Naruto could fight harder…but it is probably better that he does not. Sasuke will not give up anything for the sake of pride. And no matter what he does, Naruto cannot stop him.

"You win," the blond whispers, taking one last glance at the younger Uchiha. Sasuke's eyes do not change as the blond slowly walks away, muttering a soft whisper:

"_Goodbye."_


	6. Chapter Six

**Author Notes:** Once again, thanks to all who left reviews. It really makes writing worthwhile. I've created a soap opera in this story, so we'll see where it goes! This chapter does get a little weird than the usual pattern, because I have included a time skip. I've also included Moegi, but considering how I've never seen or read the series, I kind of winged her character (which is probably bad).

**Disclaimer:** The series _Naruto_does not belong to me – rather, to Masashi Kishimoto. All of the characters, name settings, etc. (unless mentioned or recognized otherwise) belong to him, not me.

**Summary:** Uchiha Sasuke has everything – the perfect status, the perfect girlfriend and the perfect image. However, like most seemingly perfect things, they do not last long. This is a story of how one Uzumaki Naruto can ruin it all. –SasuNaru- Other couples include: SasuSaku, ItaNaru, KibaHina, mentioned GaaNaru

**Specifies Scene Change: **X X X

**PERFECT**

X X X

_Three Years_

_-Naruto-_

"Welcome to Ichiraku! How may I help you?"

The little girl in front of Naruto is blank-faced, scanning the menu. Her mother looks at her patiently, awaiting her response.

"What's the best one?" the girl asks. The blond smiles warmly.

"I think miso pork is the best."

"That sounds good."

The girl looks at her mother for a moment before asking another question. "Do you have a real job?"

Her mother squeezes her daughter's shoulder, leaning down to reprimand her. Naruto is taken aback, wondering why such a young girl would ask something like that. Kiba cannot throw it in his face enough that he is working at a ramen stand, and now little female strangers are doing it to him too?

Naruto is so ready to throw his hands in the air and scream 'fuck it'. He may not have the classiest job, but it is something which puts him through school.

"I'm sorry," the little girl mumbles back, obviously forced to apologize by her mother. "But I think you should be a police officer or those guys in the magazines. You've got a lot of muscles and are really good looking. My name is Moegi, and if you want my number-"

"Moegi!" her mother hisses, jerking her so that the girl is very close to her mother. "I deeply apologize. She's eight and a loudmouth. I have no idea where she learns these things. When will the ramen be ready?"

Naruto gapes like a fish. He has been hit on by an eight-year-old, and sadly, she has been the most sincere of all the people who have shown interest in him for the past three years. Double whammy; a girl has pointed out his failures in life and has been the most promising in advances.

That is sad. _Really_sad.

Damn, he is really moping. Maybe Kiba has been right these past years; he does bitch a lot. Living with his best friend through college is not very easy, especially when Kiba always points out that Naruto should find new work – work which does not require Naruto to smell like a restaurant by the time he gets home. It is even harder with Hinata sharing the apartment with them, since she and Kiba have been a couple for the past three years now. Hearing them have sex is _really_painful, especially when Naruto has had no promise of any relationship since graduation.

Pulling away from his thoughts, he looks at the girl. Naruto gulps, realizing that the eight-year-old is staring very hard.

"It should be ready in about five minutes," the blond replies, watching the little girl as she walks away while holding her mother's hand. As she departs, she turns around and offers him a wink, along with puckered lips.

Naruto shivers.

"It seems you have a potential pursuer," a smooth voice says, causing the blond to break his stare with the little girl. Turning to the next patron, Naruto's mouth almost drops open unattractively.

"Neji?"

"You remember me," he murmurs, leaning against the counter. Never in a million years would Naruto have imagined this man turning up at the ramen stand. Then again, it is not a very big surprise; it is not like Naruto moved away after graduation. He can assume a lot of people in his graduating class have decided to stay in Konoha; it is a rather large city with a lot of promises.

However, seeing Neji at a ramen stand? That is kind of random. Although he is his roommate's cousin, Naruto never sees Neji come around. This is most likely due to his disgust with Hinata's dating preferences. Neji broke contact with the female once he realized he could do nothing to prevent the relationship between her and Kiba – and that has been about two years ago. To his knowledge, Hinata and Neji have not talked since.

Therefore, it is kind of shocking to see the male Hyuuga conversing with him, as if he did not hate Naruto's existence back in high school. While Naruto does not particularly like him, he refrains from frowning. After all, despite their history, Neji is still a customer.

"How could I not?" the blond says, a bit of sarcasm in his voice. "You aren't exactly hard to forget."

Neji takes Naruto's words in stride, even managing a smile. "You are not either. Tell me, what brings you to working at a ramen stand?"

"A way through college," the blond bites out. "Is there something you wanted?"

"Hm…let me see…yes, my business partner and I would like to try this establishment. I've been told you all serve very good ramen. What do you think Sasuke would like?"

The blond freezes. Sasuke? Is this some kind of joke? After three years of not even thinking about the guy, he and his asshole of a friend Neji pop back up. Granted, Naruto and Sasuke were closer than the blond has ever been to Neji, but it is not like they ended on good terms…

Naruto can remember that moment to this day. He remembers how he walked away with a bitter pang in his chest, watching Sasuke and Sakura hold one another as if Naruto had not kissed him the day before. He remembers Sasuke's completely _fake_front, just so he can prove to everyone he is the best.

Naruto _hates_that.

He remembers their graduation, gazing at the couple's parents as they sat and laughed together, congratulating their prodigies. It had taken all of Naruto's willpower to not ruin their party, ready to just make his rival weak in the knees and prove he is not as perfect as everyone wants to think.

Sometimes Naruto wishes he could have saved him, saved _Sakura_from the inevitable…but then again, it is not his problem.

"You do remember Sasuke, right? I recall you having a relationship with his brother."

Yes, it is too good to be true; Neji could not remain polite for long, waiting for the perfect moment to make a jab at Naruto. The pale-eyed male must really still harbor ill feelings toward him to bring that back up. What an asshole.

"How would you know unless you were watching me?" Naruto replies back, trying to stay calm. He is at work and anything irresponsible can get him fired. "He was fair game, Neji, whether he was an Uchiha or not. Besides, it doesn't look like we're together now, does it? Now what'll it be?"

For an added measure, Naruto smiles widely, exposing his flawless teeth. The Hyuuga male frowns.

"Two miso."

"Five minutes, then. Come back to the counter when I call the order number."

Dismissed, Neji retreats from the counter, eyeing the blond with an unpleasant glare. It does not affect Naruto any.

He watches his high school classmate sit at a table, where Naruto's eyes immediately lock onto Neji's partner. Naruto cannot believe he did not notice before; if not for Neji, Sasuke could have walked in and Naruto would not have even noticed. The thought is surreal.

Looking upon his former classmate, he has not changed at all. His hair is still arranged in that same unique cut which reminds Naruto of a duck's ass. His eyes are still dark and his attire is pristine as usual. The only changed feature Naruto notices is slight aging; Sasuke's face has narrowed a bit, similar to Itachi's. Baby fat has been lost and he is on his well way to becoming a very handsome adult.

He wonders what would have happened if he gave Sasuke a chance. Would he have left his girlfriend immediately for him, or would he have been dragged along for the ride? At the time, Naruto had assumed the latter; Sasuke showed no promise in changing. He seemed more interested in just keeping face while playing both teams. Even now, Naruto feels unspoken tension between them, and that prevents him from truly ignoring Sasuke. They parted without really discussing much.

Naruto looks back on that time period. He may have been kind of stupid; he had Itachi in the bag, with Sasuke following shortly behind. Now he has no boyfriend, with no glimpse of any hope for a relationship.

He is a loser.

A bell rings behind him, signaling a ready order. He calls the number of the receipt, his face going pale as the mother with her daughter approach the counter. The eight-year-old's eyelashes are fluttering, aiming to gain his attention. What does this kid do, watch porn in her free time?

"Enjoy your meal," Naruto states as he takes the woman's money, making sure to keep his gaze off of the little girl.

"Sir, would you mind just keeping an eye on her for two minutes? I need to make a stop the restroom," the girl's mother asks, although by the time he opens his mouth to reply, she is already rushing off. She quickly tells her daughter to behave before running to the nearby facilities, leaving the blond and little girl to stare at one another.

She speaks first. "Can I get a picture? My friends would really like it."

Naruto lifts an eyebrow. "I don't think I should do that, little lady."

She blushes. "Why not?"

"I'm more than a decade older than you. You should find boys your age."

The bell rings behind him again, signaling the next number. He yells it out quickly before returning his attention to the girl – what is her name, anyway? Moegi?

"Mommy gets boys younger than her. Why can't I get older men?"

This is really too much information.

"If there were much older men interested in you, I would be worried about their psychological health," Naruto tells the girl, inwardly cringing in disgust. Eight-year-olds are cute in the most innocent terms possible, but never something more.

"Mommy calls them pedophiles. I guess you're not a pedophile."

He looks back on the receipt of the currently ready order, loudly calling out the number again. He wonders if he is living in a dream right now, having a conversation with a young child about pedophiles and his physique. Working at Ichiraku's is very straightforward, and he hardly receives interesting customers since people usually come and go. Moegi slightly reminds him of Kiba, since both of them are not focused on being socially correct or acceptable. Then again, she is only growing up; Kiba is _supposed_to already be an adult and he acts the same.

"I'm order number 117," a shockingly familiar voice says by the counter. So engrossed in his thoughts and the little girl, Naruto does not notice the customer until he speaks up. His eyes lock with dark brown ones and his breath catches.

Sasuke looks even better up close. Shit, admiring the bastard – he must be desperate.

"Yeah, had to call it twice," Naruto says, poking at the younger Uchiha. He can practically feel the glare on his back as he turns around to grab the order.

"If I knew you worked here, I wouldn't have come."

He should have expected the insult. It hurts him a little, but Naruto brushes it off. Sasuke is naturally defensive as a first-class asshole.

"Yeah, well, now you know." Naruto pauses before asking the darker-haired of the two another question. "How's Sakura?"

Sasuke's eyebrow rises. "What is it to you?"

Before the blond can open his mouth, innocent eyes peek over the counter, distracting Naruto from his conversation. The blond watches as Moegi looks between the two of them, a large grin on her face.

"Is that your boyfriend? He's handsome. Is that why you won't give me a picture? All you had to do was say so, you know."

Sputtering, Naruto immediately shoves the bowls to Sasuke, thoroughly thrown off by Moegi's words. The younger Uchiha does not look pleased, eyeing the little girl with such an intense look that she could possibly urinate herself in fear. However, she seems completely unaffected by their reactions, taking the two males in stride.

"I think he has a girlfriend," Naruto says to the girl. "It depends if he loosened up enough to become a man, not a little baby who always needs his mother to tell him what to do."

Needless to say, Naruto feels _a little_slighted.

Sasuke glares. "I have more than four years with her."

"As if that matters to me," the blond replies, leaning on the counter. He cannot stop the biting words before they come out: "You know, you've ruined that relationship about three years ago when you went for my ass. You think I'm going to take you seriously? Dear _highness,_you wanted me at one point. Four years means nothing."

Sasuke's eyes immediately become hostile. "It seems you haven't forgotten that period of time. Is your life so hopeless you focus on the past?"

It is Naruto's turn to become angry. Unlike Sasuke, his feelings are more obvious; fists are clenched and he is biting his lip.

"I didn't give you one thought until I saw you in here. I enjoy not dealing with your immature, fake bullshit."

To say Naruto is bitter is an understatement; Sasuke completely ditched him in high school after the revelation of his feelings. Their relationship may have been unstable and unhealthy, but Sasuke practically made Naruto nonexistent. To be hated is one thing, but to be ignored is ten times worse. Why does Sasuke still affect him so?

It must be unfinished business.

"I'm glad I didn't choose to pursue those sentiments for you," Sasuke says heatedly, his eyebrows drawn far together. "No one could stand to be with you."

"Hey!" Moegi pipes up, directing the younger Uchiha with an angry stare. "That's mean! Don't insult the handsome man like that! He's probably ten times nicer than you!"

The blond blushes. As nice as it is for someone to defend him, it _is_an eight-year-old. Sasuke seems to find this fact comical, because he smirks at Naruto.

"You have a little girl to fight your battles?"

"Little girl? I'll show you _little girl!"_

And with that, Moegi cocks her leg back, clenching her fists. Naruto knows what is going to happen before she even lands a hit; with one swoop of her leg, her pretty little black shoe makes a direct hit in a place which should normally be left alone. The reaction is instantaneous; Sasuke falls to the ground, his food forgotten, as he clutches his privates and groans lowly.

The blond should not condone this, but…

He looks at Moegi, who looks rather pleased with herself. Naruto cannot help smiling.

"So about that picture…I think you deserve it."

The two exchange a high-five.

X X X

A few days later, with multiple visits from Moegi and her mother to the ramen stand, Naruto feels happy to go to work. Ever since that hilarious incident with Sasuke, Moegi has come back every day for lunch with her mother. At first she scared him with her advances, but now after communicating with her more, Naruto has learned she is a sweet and unique kid. She does not have many friends, but the two friends she does have are very close to her. As it turns out, one of her best friends is the son of one of his aunts. The blond doesn't know much about his family, especially because of his parents' death and living under Jiraiya's care. Knowing he has a cousin is one of the most exciting things that have happened to him recently, and he wants to build a relationship as soon as he can.

In addition, his growing relationship with Moegi has not gone unnoticed. Moegi's mother has taken into account her daughter's ability to get along with him and offered him a babysitting job when the need arises. She is willing to pay quite a sum and hanging out with the kid really is not that much work. In fact, he is taking her today after work.

This day could not get any better. When he enters the ramen stand, whistling happily, his boss is standing at the counter. This surprises Naruto because the man usually does not come in on weekends. He immediately approaches the man, a large smile on his face.

The owner does not return it. Something must be bad.

"Naruto…"

The resigned tone makes the blond anxious. "Yes sir?"

Mr. Teuchi looks sad. "I've received a complaint from a customer in regards to you."

The blond's eyes widen, his boss's comment taking him by surprise. He has treated everyone nicely and respectfully; in fact, he usually gets compliments in regards to his services. Who could have complained about his work?

"May I ask what they complained about?"

"Allowing and condoning physical harassment."

"Physical harassment…? I don't even know what could've made someone feel that way."

His boss stares at him skeptically. "Apparently, the customer claimed a young child attacked him and you did nothing to stop the situation. In fact, the customer said you made no effort to help him, but rather commended the child for their behavior. Is this true?"

Oh _shit._Naruto's heart sinks.

"The customer was insulting me-"

"No excuses, Naruto," Mr. Teuchi cuts in, his face looking grim. "That gives you no right to treat him awfully. I do not tolerate this from any of my employees. I'm giving you a two week notice before you will cease to work here anymore. I'm sorry, but you should know better. This stand has a reputation to uphold, and to treat anyone with such disrespect is unacceptable. He threatened to sue my stand if no action was taken, and considering that you were in the wrong, I must let you go."

The myriad of emotions fluttering in his stomach makes Naruto sick – disappointment in himself, frustration at his owner, devastation at losing his job – but the most prominent in anger. Yes, he probably should not have acted as he did, but for that _stupid_bastard to threaten the whole restaurant for Naruto's mistake…

That is _it._Sasuke wants to ruin everyone around him and Naruto can see that has not changed. He did it with his brother, he is doing it with Sakura and now Naruto is his next target. The blond will not take it, and he will prove that _no one_messes with an Uzumaki.

Three years have passed, and Sasuke is still getting on his nerves. Now, he has made him lose his job.

"Naruto?"

"I understand," the blond whispers. Mr. Teuchi places a hand on his shoulder, giving him a slight pat before leaving the counter.

Naruto is going to handle this today. He cannot wait to lay his hands on that smug bastard. Money may give him privileges but it will not save his face. He does not know what he is going to do, but he knows he is going to settle everything – everything, from three years back until now – today. Without Sasuke in his life, it has been rather peaceful – with one mention of his name, bitterness and tension fill him. Work needs to go by fast.

His mind is on autopilot for the rest of the day. As the clock ticks and signals the end of his shift, he takes off his apron and hangs it on the appropriate rack. He has Moegi until about ten o'clock tonight, but he figures she would not mind having Kiba keep her company for an hour. The little girl is sitting by the entrance, obediently waiting for Naruto to get his things together. She has only been there for about three minutes, her mother dropping her off not too long ago.

"Come on," Naruto commands her as he opens the entrance door. She looks put off by his tone but does not say a word. As they make their way to his red SUV, she meekly pipes out a question:

"Are you okay?"

"I'm mad," he responds honestly, jerkily unlocking his car. "Not at you, though."

"Oh," Moegi replies, climbing into the front seat. "What happened?"

"Remember that guy who you kicked? I got in trouble for that, but you know what, I'm glad you did it. Don't ever do it to anybody else, but I'm glad you did it to him. He deserved it and I would personally like to see you do it again."

The eight-year-old smiles, her ecstatic grin making Naruto feel slightly better. He understands his boss's viewpoint, and if Naruto was the owner, he would probably fire his employee too. However, knowing that Sasuke is the cause of all this mess makes it unbearable. Mr. Teuchi wouldn't have gone to such drastic measures if Sasuke didn't threaten to financially bankrupt his business.

Naruto does not react kindly to bullies. This is why Naruto did not give that asshole a chance.

"What's going to happen is my friend Kiba will watch you for a little while," Naruto says, pulling out of the parking lot and making his way to the apartment. "I've got some stuff to take care of. I promise I won't be long, Moegi."

"It has to do with that one guy, doesn't it?" the little girl asks, swinging her legs back and forth. Her perceptiveness slightly surprises him, but not by much; she is very intelligent, and considering how he has been bitching about Sasuke, it does not take a genius to piece one and one together.

"Yes."

Moegi goes quiet for a moment before abruptly starting to talk about her day, of how her mother took her shopping and how she is planning to go out tonight with a new boyfriend. Her words are calming as they go through one ear and out the other; it keeps his mind slightly off of the impending doom he is about to bring upon Sasuke.

Arriving at the apartment, he walks the girl up to his place and tells her to be good.

She salutes him.

"Go get him."

Kiba, who sits on the couch, eyes the two for a moment, looking thoroughly confused. As Moegi closes the door, Naruto briskly returns to his car. He remembers the way to the Uchiha mansion; he has been there plenty of times due to his constant visits to Itachi. He wonders how the man is doing; they both agreed to stop seeing one another (mainly due to Naruto's unstable relationship with Sasuke after their last confrontation) but neither of them has kept in contact. In result, he has no idea if Itachi still lives there or if the man is willing to give him time of the day.

This is Naruto's only lead, so he will start there.

It takes him a bit longer to get there from his apartment, but soon enough, the long, immaculate driveway comes into view. Naruto does not feel in the slightest bit nervous due to the immense amount of rage. He knocks on the door and not to his surprise, a paid servant answers the door.

She looks curious. "Yes sir?"

"Is Sasuke here?"

"Yes. May I ask-"

"I'm an acquaintance from high school. I've been here before. Where is he?"

The woman becomes appalled. "In the dining room with his family, but sir, I cannot allow you in without Mr. Uchiha's permission-"

"Don't worry, I won't be long," Naruto interrupts, stepping into the home. The servant begins sputtering, saying nonsense about how he is not allowed in the house. He will stay to do his business and then leave – and no one will stop him.

Memories rush through him as he makes his way to the designated room. Naruto remembers the first time he came here, utterly shocked due to Itachi and Sasuke's blood relation. Now that he looks back on it, things could have been a lot worse; their mother did not kick him out, although she had the right to.

Arriving at the room, Naruto briefly reconsiders his decision to come. Everyone – and he means _everyone_– is there right now. The Uchiha matriarch, Sasuke, Itachi, Sakura and an unknown male are sitting at the table, seeming to be having an afternoon lunch. The man looks like the siblings' father, if the trademark scowl is anything to go by.

The blond wonders if he should just lay Sasuke out right now, but he should have some manners.

"Yeah, excuse me?"

All heads whip up to regard his presence, Itachi seeming to be the most startled. Sakura's eyes squint, but a gasp of recognition signals that she identifies him. The father looks indifferent, while the mother looks as equally as surprised as Sakura. The person he has come for – Sasuke – seems the least affected out of them all.

It pisses Naruto off.

"I need to speak with Sasuke for a second."

"No," the younger sibling replies.

The quick response makes a vein twitch. Naruto takes in a deep breath.

"It is very important; we need to talk alone-"

"Who allowed you in my home?" their father asks, staring at Naruto quizzically. His dark eyes are rather intimidating, but the blond will stand his ground.

"Your servant. Sasuke please-"

"I said no."

Now he's going to lose his composure – right about _now._

"Alright, you _fucking_bastard!" Naruto yells out, stomping toward the younger Uchiha. "You want to talk in front of your parents? That's fucking _fine,_because it's about time for them to be enlightened, anyway."

A brief look of horror glazes Sasuke's eyes, although he quickly masks it with indifference. "You are about to be forcibly removed-"

"You made me lose my job because some little girl thought it would be funny to kick you in your non-existent balls!"

At Sasuke's silence, Naruto continues. "You know what, it's not even that; it's that you threatened to sue a perfectly upstanding establishment because you're a fucking _pussy_who can't take it when someone insults you. You haven't changed from the scared ass kisser since I first met you. Remember that time when I said I'd reveal my relationship? You said you'd ruin my life – and guess, what? You have."

The blond is shaking from so much rage. He spits out his next words.

"But you forgot…I promised to do the same to you. How would your parents feel if they knew you were _jealous be_cause I had a better relationship with your brother? How about them knowing you were so jealous that you threatened me to stay away, just because he was kissing me and you weren't? Hey, you know what's better - when you threw me against a _tree_on the school campus and kissed me so bad that I pushed you off of me! Does Sakura know that? Does your family know you're a _cheating bastard_who is _homosexual?"_

These words immediately stir up trouble at the table; what Naruto takes account of first and foremost is the father standing up from his chair, looking absolutely furious. Sakura and the mother are completely stunned, staring at their son and hoping for denial against these accusations.

And for all of the commotion, Itachi is the one who actually looks calm. In fact, he is just smirking.

"You have no right to come into my house and accuse my son of anything of that magnitude!" their father bellows, his deep voice shaking Naruto's core. "You are to be immediately removed!"

The siblings' father almost wants to make Naruto step down – but with the thought of losing his job, of Mr. Teuchi's depressed face…he regains his anger and strength.

"I'm not accusing your son of anything – I am telling the absolute _damn_truth, and while no one can vouch me for it, Sasuke knows it! I know Itachi knows the truth too, but he is no way involved in any of this. You want to save face for that precious company, but get this Sasuke – you only fucking have it because Itachi went and decided to do something _he _wanted to do! You haven't changed! Lie to your parents, lie to your girlfriend!"

Naruto pauses, huffing. He feels a drop of sweat slide down the back of his neck; he is so incensed that it is burning him.

"But you will _never_cross me and make me your fucking tool like you do to your _parents!_"

"OUT!"

"You will not even consider suing Ichiraku again, you got that? If it wasn't for your riches, you'd be nothing! You're defined by your family's success, not you!"

"I'm calling security!"

"Call fucking security! I'm leaving!"

With that, Naruto gives Sasuke one last glare before departing from the room. Sasuke's face does not reveal any hint of being affected by Naruto's words, but the blond does feel immensely happier knowing that the truth is out there and he has said what should have been said a long time ago.

As he nears the foyer, a rush of footsteps makes him look back.

Itachi.

"Naruto."

Sheepishly, the blond rubs the back of his head in nervousness. "Hey, sorry I haven't called…"

"You were quite rude."

Naruto shrugs, although his words stab shame into his chest. "Yeah, well, I tried to be civil and talk to him alone."

"I'm coming with you," Itachi declares, walking to stand by Naruto's side. "We are going to talk."

"I have a little girl," Naruto says, waving his hand dismissively. "I have to get back to her as soon as possible, okay? My roommate has her right now and he's going to go nuts if he has her for more than an hour."

The older Uchiha looks baffled. "I thought you were homosexual? How do you have a child?"

"_No!_Babysitting! Oh gosh, me being a _dad?_Are you on drugs?"

Itachi smirks. "You haven't changed…anyhow, I do not mind a child."

Opening the door, Itachi urges the blond out first. They both hear voices gradually becoming louder from the dining room, and if they stay any longer, someone is going to come after them. That is something Naruto does not want to deal with right now – not after his episode.

"Alright, let's go then."

"May I say," Itachi murmurs, following the blond to his car, "you have become even more attractive as the years have passed."

Naruto laughs. "You _wish."_

X X X

"Naruto!"

An excited Moegi runs from her spot on the couch to greet the blond with a tight hug. The blond hears Kiba exhale a sigh of relief before retreating to his bedroom, obviously tired of being with the girl.

"Hey! How did Kiba treat you?"

Moegi pouts. "He didn't really play with me. Hey, who is your friend?"

He almost forgets about Itachi – the man has been quiet ever since they entered the apartment complex. He stands behind the blond silently, looking at the surroundings of the apartment. Itachi glances at Moegi, offering a small hello in greeting.

She looks awed by him. "Wow, and I thought Naruto was handsome…"

"Moegi…!"

"Sorry." However, she looks anything but; as the two males walk into the room and sit on the couch, she squeezes in-between them, her gaze pointedly resting on Itachi's figure. He seems indifferent to her staring, but Naruto is not.

"Moegi…"

"I'm sorry! He kind of looks like that guy at your job."

That reminds Naruto of his original purpose of allowing Itachi into his home - although to be honest, he has no idea what Itachi wants to discuss. He has said his piece at the Uchiha home, but the older sibling is no way affected by that conversation.

Is Itachi angry by the incident at his house? He does not seem angry…

"I think we should get to the point of my visit…"

Naruto licks his lips. "Yeah…so…"

"I haven't heard from you in three years, and then you appear at my house, screaming about losing your job. You then decide to humiliate my brother in front of my mother, father and his girlfriend. That is slightly alarming to me."

Naruto scowls. "Yeah well, I tried to talk to him privately. He pushed me over the edge-"

"He always does that to you," Itachi interjects. "You two complement one another. You two would be compatible."

"Itachi, I'm going to pretend you never said that."

The older Uchiha ignores his statement. "To some degree, you let him control you…"

"Bullshit."

"I disagree; otherwise, you wouldn't be so affected by today."

Naruto looks incredulous. "He made me _lose_my job, in addition to threatening everyone who works there over some stupid suit. Everyone else can take his shit _but_me. I know it wasn't appropriate to do that in front of your family, but I don't regret it."

Itachi becomes quiet for a moment, making Naruto focus his attention on the little girl in between them. She has dozed off slightly in mid-conversation, and while not totally asleep, she is not very conscious of the outside world.

"He needs someone like you," the older Uchiha murmurs suddenly. Naruto lifts an eyebrow.

"What that bastard needs is a new personality…"

"Sasuke will need your help after today. While your approach was not very conventional, I think it was effective. I would stay clear of my family."

Naruto grins. "Which means that I can't keep you company at your house…"

"It's fine," Itachi says, looking down at the sleepy Moegi, "After three years, I assumed there would be no chance. I've moved on."

Naruto sighs. "While you are probably getting some, I'm single…"

Itachi smirks. "Times have changed, hm?"


	7. Chapter Seven

**Author Notes:** I'm a little nervous about this chapter, but hopefully you all still like it. Reviews appreciated.

**Disclaimer:** The series _Naruto _does not belong to me – rather, to Masashi Kishimoto. All of the characters, name settings, etc. (unless mentioned or recognized otherwise) belong to him, not me.

**Summary:** Uchiha Sasuke has everything – the perfect status, the perfect girlfriend and the perfect image. However, like most seemingly perfect things, they do not last long. This is a story of how one Uzumaki Naruto can ruin it all. –SasuNaru- Other couples include: SasuSaku, ItaNaru, KibaHina, mentioned GaaNaru, ItaDei

**Specifies Scene Change: **X X X

**PERFECT**

X X X

_-Sasuke-_

Sitting at the large, mahogany table, Sasuke can only sit in silence as the three people around him have a heated discussion. His father looks absolutely livid, demanding the location of the servant who allowed Naruto inside. His mother is trying to calm him down, while Sakura is sputtering about the blond's accusations.

Itachi has disappeared, no doubt following Naruto out of the door. No one has even realized he has not returned.

"Fugaku, please – that woman would never have anticipated this happening."

"She was not doing her job, and that _boy_who had the nerve to say those things to my son…how ridiculous! It is another person trying to sully the Uchiha name!"

Sasuke's mother goes quiet, casting an apprehensive glance toward her son. His mother has always been a good judge of character, and considering Naruto's outburst and previous appearances in their house, Sasuke knows she believes every word the blond said. In her eyes, Naruto is telling the truth; he never made public his relationship with Itachi, and no matter how much she may have disagreed with the relationship, Naruto never held it against her. He would not lie about something like this, and it is clear Sasuke provoked him.

Her knowledge of his dysfunctional relationship with Naruto puts him on edge. However, she is smart enough not to point out the truth at this moment; his father is already unstable and to know those accusations are true would devastate him.

Dread settles in his stomach. The truth is out, but he will deny it as long as he needs to. Naruto's words are null against his.

"Sasuke…"

The quiet, high pitched murmur draws his attention to the pink-haired girl next to him. She looks about ready to cry, her eyes squinting with the approach of tears.

"Why would Naruto walk in here and say those things? I know you two didn't get along, but why would he do that?"

He opens his mouth to deny everything, but his mother catches his attention by standing from the table. Her calm demeanor becomes negative, disappointment etched onto her features.

Sasuke knows what she will say before she even opens her mouth.

"You need to talk with Sakura in private. If you won't, I will."

"Mother-"

"I will say nothing more," she spits out before taking her leave. There have been times where she has been angry, but that has not occurred since he was a small child. Knowing that his mother is completely disappointed in him…

He grits his teeth. Grabbing his girlfriend's hand, he pulls her to the nearest private room – a guest room not too far from the dining room. As he shuts the door, Sakura immediately starts talking.

"What is going on? Why did your mom say she would talk to me in private? Why do I need to be in this room – damn it Sasuke, what did _you _do?! I'm not stupid!"

This is hard - much harder than he has ever anticipated. Sasuke has never imagined being in this situation where he is forced to face the truth. He has not exactly forgotten Naruto these past three years – after all, one cannot easily forget the male who made them realize their sexuality – but he tried his best to ignore any memories. He has not been unfaithful since the Naruto fiasco.

Now his mother is threatening him – and if he does not say anything, she will. He may not want to do this, but he does hold enough honor to not let his mother fight his battles.

"Sakura…"

"He was telling the _truth!"_

Sasuke does not speak. Sakura stands there, her pretty face scrunched together in rage and desperation. Her green eyes have darkened and now tears are freely running down her face. Her nose now matches her hair, but it is an ugly look. So much negativity has never been directed towards him – not since the times with Naruto…

It is always about _Naruto…_

"Why didn't you tell me? Why did you pull me along?!"

"Because it was an accident," Sasuke replies. "It was a passing attraction. He was dating Itachi, but somehow, things became out of hand."

"When you're with someone…" She is growling now, her fury temporarily overriding her sadness. "You don't let things go out of control. If you had a fleeting crush, _fine,_I can deal with that. It's not a big deal to recognize a person is attractive and have a slight thing for them. Sasuke, I don't care if you're attracted to both sexes! But don't drag me along while you figure yourself out!"

"I'm _not."_

"Then what the heck is this thing with Naruto?!"

"He was the _only_one."

"Then what did you do that was so bad?!" she screams back, her voice cracking with each vowel. Sasuke's heart beats irregularly, remembering that day in the brush where he did exactly as Naruto said. He pushed him against that tree and he almost wanted to take him.

However animalistic as it was, sliding his manhood against the blond's leg was an exhilarating feeling. Perhaps it was because it was in public, or because it was _Naruto –_but whatever it was, he wanted to do more than just slide against him…

All these years, and the feelings are still so prominent. He has denied it these past years, choosing not to face his attraction – and now, he is paying the price.

"What did you _do?!"_

"At first, we made a foolish bet…" he begins, his mind conjuring up the memory vividly. "It wasn't meant to mean anything, but he screwed with me and kissed me. More things happened after that."

"Did you have sex?"

"No."

Sakura looks ready to burst. "Then what?"

"We went through some things. He opened up areas of myself that I never wanted to face-"

"Things which I wanted you to face…" Sakura murmurs, hugging herself around the waist in a comforting gesture. "…but you never let me…"

Her dejected tone bites at his heart, but the younger Uchiha continues. He cannot deny her words because she is correct; no one knows of his thoughts except Naruto.

"He forced me to face it. I never wanted to. He told me to try kissing him once, to see if I was lying to myself. We kissed for a while…and I felt even more attracted to him. Despite my advances, he denied me. That idiot played me, telling me that he kissed me so I could learn to please myself, not others. That's why I hate him. He knows me better than I know myself…and he lives on, blissful and ignorant of what he has done to me."

They both cease to speak, the only noise in the room being the female's cries. Each sob makes Sasuke wince; Sakura is good, _so good_to him…

After a few moments, Sakura finally speaks: "Did you at least like me…?"

"Yes. You are the only female who I can stand."

"But I'm not Naruto…"

"Naruto was never supposed to happen-"

"But he _did!"_she screams stomping towards him. He lets her slap him in the face, although the physical pain does not compare to the guilt he currently feels. He has always played his cards right, always been a good boyfriend despite his encounters with the blond…

It has all gone downhill.

"I don't agree with what Naruto has done, of how he initially kissed you and asked you to kiss again. However, he offered the bait, but you didn't have to take it. When you're with someone, you don't hesitate to be faithful – it comes naturally, Sasuke. To think I wanted a _ring _from you someday!"

"I've been putting that past behind me-"

"Until he shows up, you _asshole!_You're using me! You never forgot him!"

In the back of his mind, Sasuke realizes that she is talking like Naruto now. She is repeating the same things Naruto has said to him those three years ago.

And they are both right.

"All you had to do was talk to me…" she whispers, crumbling to the floor. "I would've understood if you were open with me – but you're not open with anyone; not your parents, not Itachi, not me, but only _Naruto._You know what, he should be that person for you - not me. You've broken my heart. If he did say he wanted to pursue something, would you have done it? Would you have juggled two people at the same time and tried to keep a secret?"

His hesitation to reply is all she needs. Sakura laughs bitterly.

"It's over then, isn't it?" she asks. Sasuke sighs.

"He told me to end it with you. He didn't do it so he could be with me – he actually insulted the idea of being with me – but he did it because he didn't want to see you hurt. He doesn't know you, but he wanted to protect you from me."

Sakura's bottom lip quivers. "I don't agree with his methods, but I see…in some totally shitty way, he wanted to help you and offer me happiness. This relationship has always been too good to be true. You treated me like your dream girl – got me what I wanted, held my hand, agreed with most things, yet we never talked; we never sat down and just talked. You were always cold; even during sex, you never really told me you loved me unless you had to. I stuck with it though, because that's how I thought you always were."

She pauses for a moment to control her crying before continuing. "But with Naruto, the Sasuke I know wouldn't exist. After hearing all of this, if you sought out anything romantic with Naruto, it would be a different case, wouldn't it? You aren't always closed off, at least not with Naruto. You should have ended it before, just like Naruto told you to…"

Sakura looks him straight into his eyes. "I hate unrequited love…and he's right…maybe you should learn to become the person you really are. It's for your parents, isn't it? I'm a doll for your parents…"

Sasuke wants to say no, yet there is no other way to put it. Sakura is not dumb. It is difficult to say anything, or that will more than likely trigger another slap from her. He is already exhausted from this conversation, and the image of the disappointment on his mother's face keeps reappearing.

"It's his fault."

"No, it's _your_fault," she bites back. "And I'm not saying that out of anger. You need to take responsibility for your actions. Maybe it's a good thing I'm leaving, because you need some personal growing to do."

Sakura cries again, burying her face in her hands. He watches her, now finally understanding the magnitude of his actions. His mother knows, Sakura knows, and he feels Itachi and Naruto have always known…

He is the little child, like always. It takes a serious situation for him to grasp it. Everything she is saying is true.

There is nothing he can do for Sakura now. No amount of apologies can erase the betrayal she feels, and the only thing he can do is leave her in peace.

As his hand reaches the doorknob, he hears her whimper:

"I love you."

He shuts the door behind him, leaving her wrenching sobs to echo through the hallway.

X X X

"Learned your lesson about relationships?"

Letting out a sound of irritation, Sasuke turns from his position in his chair to look at the doorway. His brother stands there, impeccably dressed for his day at work. This is the first thing Itachi has said to him since his older brother left the house with Naruto, and that is highly infuriating. While Sasuke has gone through nothing but relationship issues, Itachi is living the ideal dream. He has completed his ambitions of becoming a lawyer, easily working through the ranks to become one of the best in Konoha.

However, he has yet to gain any respect in Sasuke's heart.

"My relationship is not your business," Sasuke bites back. Itachi is unperturbed.

"The correct term is ex-relationship. Mother told me how you made that girl cry."

"Leave it be," the younger Uchiha growls out, turning back to his work. He has some letters to look over, all in preparation from his soon-to-be position at his father's corporation. He does not need any of Itachi's distractions right now.

"Now you are alone…"

"Get _out,"_Sasuke hisses, clenching his pen. He hears Itachi sigh behind him.

"You should visit the man who opened your eyes. I'm no longer in the picture, so you don't need to feel so defensive."

Sasuke scowls at his brother's comment. "He just causes problems."

"No Sasuke…" Itachi pauses. "_You_ cause problems. I encourage you to see him; I left his address on the desk in my office. In ways he is immature, but in others he is more mature than you. You two can try and repair this mess."

"If you're going to insult me, you have no reason to be in my office right now."

"It was an offer, that is all. Have a nice day."

Once he feels his older brother's presence disappear, Sasuke throws his pen against the wall. His brother has provided him the fruit and he is _really_tempted to take it. How is that so, after so much which has happened between him and Naruto?

It is because for the first time in his life, Sasuke feels _free._The incident with Sakura occurred only a couple of days ago, and at that time, he felt awful. Now, his world is calmer than ever before – and that absolutely surprises him, because his partner has just ended their long relationship. Naturally, she has not come by ever since, but despite this, Sasuke feels somewhat liberated; with everything said and discussed, the aftermath leaves him less guiltless than before.

She really has told him the truth – the truth that he is living a life of denial. Naruto repeated her words three years ago.

His mother has not asked him a thing; she has only offered a knowing look, recognizing that Sakura's sudden disappearance is an obvious signal of their failed relationship. His father briefly asked about her presence, only to be shocked when Sasuke enlightened him that he is now single – but his father overcame his surprise fairly quickly, telling Sasuke another girl would come by soon.

Sasuke still feels slighted by his father's dismissal of the relationship. They lasted for about five years, something which most people at their age are incapable of. Finding that type of woman is not easy, and while Sakura is not going to be that girl, he still holds respect for her. His father's disregard for her feelings perturbs him.

On top of this, the catalyst to all this mess – Naruto – is really appealing to him. The only good thing which has come from his break up is enlightenment about his feelings for Naruto, making his attraction seem much clearer and less shameful to have. With no boundaries to hold him back - especially since his mother already knows about his past relationship with the blond - he wants to see if he can settle all of this with his former classmate. The only obstacles are the media and his father, but he can easily keep things under wraps. He is tired of fighting a battle of denial - his girlfriend left him, and he is not keen on finding other women when someone else has had his attention all along.

Although, this someone else is undeniably a major pain in his ass.

What prevents Sasuke from making peace and possibly pursuing the blond is the anger he harbors for Naruto. Despite now recognizing the close bond they share, Naruto had no right to bust into his house like it is his.

Sasuke is torn between strangling Naruto or showing him how much he has tormented Sasuke since he came into his life.

In the end, Sasuke decides to return to his work, hoping to get Naruto off of his mind. This works for about a half an hour, after he finishes reviewing all of the papers and even putting them in alphabetical order. Within the first two minutes of doing nothing, Sasuke stalks toward his brother's office, intent on finding that address.

So much for that anger.

Itachi must have predicted Sasuke to give in, because a bright green post-it note sticks on his desk amidst all of the white paper. It almost deters the younger Uchiha, but with a last effort, he grabs the note and rushes to his car.

He cannot keep harboring this negativity or he will explode. He needs to talk to Naruto.

It does not take him long to reach the location, which is a series of apartment complexes along main streets. Sasuke parks on the street, not worrying about the meters; he can afford to buy this city twice.

The younger Uchiha reaches the correct door, but he stands there for a moment to contemplate his decision. What will he do? It is very likely Naruto will not even let him in.

He will just say Itachi has told him to come. It is not exactly a lie.

Sasuke knocks the door three times. Within seconds, a series of light footsteps run toward the door. After a few sounds of locks being undone, the door swings open to reveal that little girl from the ramen stand – the one who harmed his privates.

The younger Uchiha raises an eyebrow. The girl offers him a grin.

"How are your man bits doing?"

Sasuke's nose scrunches. "Man bits?"

"Yeah, your male parts. That's what Naruto calls them. Why are you here, anyway? I don't think Naruto really likes you right now."

"I've come to apologize," Sasuke lies, entering the apartment as the girl steps aside. She buys his excuse easily, making Sasuke's entrance here a lot easier. He can easily manipulate the mind of a naïve eight-year-old, but facing a livid Naruto would cause much more trouble.

"Well Naruto just got out of the shower. I'll go get him."

Before the younger Uchiha can protest, that little girl runs down the hallway in haste. With her gone, Sasuke takes the time to analyze his surroundings. The apartment looks typical for a college student; the furniture looks worn and it is mismatched. The newest item in the room is a television which is seated on the floor. The pictures hanging on the wall mostly feature a brunet with shaggy hair-

-who also happens to be Naruto's friend, the one who came to that party. Sasuke is surprised he even recognizes him; he has not really met the brunet on more than a couple of occasions. There are pictures of him and what Sasuke assumes is his family. The last photo Sasuke stumbles upon is one of Naruto and his friend, the two hugging each other around the shoulders and smiling cheekily. They are at a beach.

Seeing Naruto's smile in the photo makes the younger Uchiha feel nostalgic. The blond has smiled like that at him once. Sasuke tells himself he likes Naruto's smile because it makes him look less stupid and idiotic, but a little part of him knows he is slightly in denial.

"I can't believe you're in my house right now."

Naruto's voice slightly startles him. He turns, and the first thing Sasuke notices is Naruto's state of undress. He wears low-riding sweatpants, ones which expose his underwear. Other than that, he is topless and his hair is still wet. Standing near him, Sasuke can tell the blond has become slightly taller, but Sasuke still has some height over the blond. Naruto has become broader, his shoulders now slightly bulged with muscle.

Idly, Sasuke thinks he looks good. He feels less self-conscious about admitting this, now aware that there is nothing stopping him from thinking these things about the blond. He has no girlfriend or relationship to make him feel guilty, and his father is in such denial that he would need concrete evidence of Sasuke's attraction.

Coming to Naruto's home reinforces how much this attraction is still strong.

"You can't even speak to me? Sheesh," Naruto says, beginning to frown. "What do you want?"

"Itachi told me to come."

"Yeah, and he also wants us to be butt buddies," the blond replies hastily, taking a seat on the couch. "He thinks you could use some help from me. I don't know how I can help a closeted, bastard man-"

Sasuke interrupts him: "Sakura and I are through."

Naruto immediately goes quiet. His mouth hangs open in bewilderment, not anticipating such startling news. He definitely looks like an idiot now, more so than ever before.

"You two are _what?"_

Sasuke scowls. He hates repeating himself.

"It's over."

"You mean to tell me that after three years of barely talking to you, all I had to do is walk into your house, scream some shit and then you finally get yourself together? How are you handling it? Do you feel any better?"

Bemusedly, Sasuke thinks that less than a day ago, Naruto was threatening to ruin his life – now he is asking about his wellbeing as if they are good friends. Naruto must not hold grudges for too long.

"I'm managing," the younger Uchiha replies truthfully, sliding his hands into his pockets. "Where is the little hellion?"

"Moegi? Playing with her toys in my room – but that doesn't matter right now. Why are you here? Have you come to explore the homosexual crowd? I can give you a couple of bar names, although I would watch out – there are some shady men-"

"You haven't listened to me at all," Sasuke interrupts, his tone growing agitated, "Countless times, I've already said I don't want any other men. You're the only one who has made me reconsider my sexuality."

Naruto's face turns slightly pink. "Alright, no men then. Then go back to women. All I was trying to do was help you come to grips about what you want, _not_what other people expect from you. I guess you can go to any regular place, and all you have to do is flash some money and the panties will drop."

"Naruto."

The blond immediately hushes. Sasuke rarely says his name.

"We need to settle whatever has lingered from three years ago," Sasuke says, his arms crossing. "Sakura made something known to me which I have refused to acknowledge."

Three years ago, he never would have approached Naruto like this, nor would he say what he is about to come out of his mouth. All the emotions are making his mouth loose.

"Some way or another, even while you test my patience and deeply annoy me, you know more about me than anyone else. Three years have passed and my attraction to you has not disappeared. I doubt I will find the same solace with another woman."

The blond's face is becoming redder. At this point, Sasuke cannot control what he is saying.

"I am in limbo when it comes to deciding where you stand. I want to clear it all now. My mother knows about us and she hasn't reacted negatively, and I realize that the media and my father do not have to know. I would consider telling if it becomes that serious, but in the meantime, I would like to see where it goes."

There; he has said what Itachi and Sakura have told him. If Naruto denies it, Sasuke will have to move on – if he does not, Sasuke can see where this goes. It all seems like a bad idea, but Sasuke has already played the ignoring game. He somewhat succeeded for three years, but the moment the blond reappears, everything comes crashing down. Now he can explore this without feeling guilty and see if his attractions have any merit.

"Sasuke…what…but you treated me like a complete asshole at the ramen stand. Remember when you said how I focused on the past? You're such a hypocrite."

The younger Uchiha sighs. "I'm aware. You don't have to accept; I'm not forcing you."

"You've grown a little," Naruto comments, smiling a little. It makes him gorgeous.

Admitting and accepting this…_thing_for Naruto is really affecting him. He feels weightless in that he does not have to worry about anything anymore. It slightly scares him, but it overwhelmingly makes him more content.

"But you're still a bastard."

"And you're still an idiot."

"Shit, there are so many reasons why I shouldn't do this," Naruto moans pathetically, his head laying back on the couch. "You've been nothing but trouble since day one. Being attractive and doing a total three-sixty personality-wise are not good enough excuses to even think about giving you a chance. It's cause I've been single, it's cause I've been single…"

Sasuke lets Naruto murmur the same phrase over and over, giving him time to make a decision. A large huff signals his compliance, which _almost_makes Sasuke smirk.

"You get one night, okay? _One."_

"You must be attracted to me on some level," Sasuke states. "Otherwise you wouldn't give me any time of day."

"Look, yes, you're attractive. But you're still a bastard, and one date isn't going to convince me that you aren't. You might have toned down a little, but you're still one of the biggest assholes I know."

With this statement, Sasuke realizes why Naruto intrigues him – no matter what, the blond still has a sense of individuality. Naruto knows himself through-and-through, all without the guidance of anyone else. Hell, the blond stood up to his _father;_that is admirable in itself.

"Fine. I'll pick you up next Friday at six."

Naruto grumbles back:

"Deal."

X X X

Standing in front of the small restaurant, Sasuke watches as a figure with blond hair closes his vehicle's door before approaching him, blue eyes curious of his surroundings. Sasuke contemplated a choice of restaurant for a long time, wondering where Naruto would be the most comfortable. The blond could not handle a very upscale environment, but it would be absolutely shameful to take him to a cheap, dingy diner. A small family-owned business seemed the best choice – people would less likely notice him and Naruto can still feel at ease.

"I picked a place which I thought you'd never been to," Sasuke states, discreetly offering Naruto a once over. He has always been intrigued by Naruto's looks – especially that tattoo – but admitting that would have meant that he acknowledged his unfaithfulness to Sakura.

Give a dehydrated man a sip of water and he will yearn and seek for more. Sasuke supposes the same applies to a recently out-of-the-closet male - as long as he is given the bait. And right now, he is surely taking it; he does not remember being this sexually attracted to the blond.

"It looks good. I'm glad you didn't pick someplace that would cost me three paychecks."

"With what job are you getting paychecks?" Sasuke asks. Naruto gives him a sour look and the younger Uchiha suddenly remembers why Naruto is not orking.

"Great way to start off a date, you asshole," the blond says, throwing the entrance's door open. He does not even bother to hold it for Sasuke, silently stalking to the waiting area. The dark-haired of the pair just follows him, thinking that right now would be a good time to just remain quiet. Naruto would probably make a scene.

The blond does not say a word until the two reach their table and sit there for about three minutes.

"Maybe this is a mistake," Naruto says, putting the laminated menu on the table. "I want to give you a new start, but we do have a past and you carry some baggage. Maybe we can be friends, but I'm not going to promise any romantic feelings, because right now they don't exist."

However true those words may be, they still offend Sasuke. As a result, he frowns.

"That is understandable. Look, as far as the ramen stand goes, I'll talk to the owner. I'll get your job back."

Naruto laughs sarcastically. "Doesn't matter now. After that mess, it would be embarrassing to go back."

Sasuke does not know how to respond. A waitress ends up coming by to offer them greetings, but not before giving each of the males an appreciative once over. It slightly annoys Sasuke, but Naruto takes the attention rather well; in fact, he offers the female a blinding smile, blue eyes shining with sudden happiness.

The younger Uchiha scowls.

"Hi! My name is Ino – can I get you two handsome men anything to drink or eat?"

"Just you," the blond male replies. The waitress laughs softly.

"The thing is…" she begins, pulling out her notepad, "I already get the feeling you're just messing with me, and that you're as straight as a bendy straw. Please tell me I'm right, or otherwise I will get fired."

Whereas Sasuke would be offended, Naruto is actually laughing hysterically at this woman's response, taking her honesty with a grain of salt. It makes Sasuke slightly annoyed; he has already made the blond mad, yet this inappropriate waitress is making him smile so big.

"You're right," Naruto replies. "But I can keep a secret. I'd like water, please."

"And you?" Ino asks. Sasuke is straightforward.

"Same thing."

She smiles before walking off, a slight sway to her hips. Naruto grins.

"If I were straight, she'd be a great candidate. Tell me, is she your type?"

Sasuke almost gapes. The two of them are out on a date, and Naruto is asking _him_of his opinion on women? Does the blond not want to be on this outing that much?

"If you didn't want to come, all you had to say was no," the younger Uchiha says, a hint of bitterness in his voice. Naruto looks taken aback.

"What makes you think that?"

"The waitress makes you happier than I do, and you're asking me if I want to do her. What do you think that comes off as?"

"It's just a question," Naruto murmurs, burying his face back into the menu. "We're not dating, so I'm not going to get jealous. I'm just trying to get to know you better."

Naruto's openness astounds Sasuke. Sakura would never have asked him a question like that, nor would she have been so calm about the subject. Even before they became a couple, she did not particularly enjoy other women's attention upon Sasuke, but that is always to be expected.

Then again, Naruto is not very interested in him at the moment. This is going downhill.

When has he become so pathetic? Where has his suave gone that could seduce a woman in three seconds? Who says Naruto cannot be affected by it?

Sasuke clears his throat. Time to be seductive.

"Alright, I understand. In regards to your question, if she is my type…ideally, I would suppose so. I like lighter features, such as blue eyes and blond hair. However, I can't say her physique can compare to yours. Your hair color is brighter, and your eyes aren't as pale."

The compliments succeed in affecting Naruto; his face immediately turns a shade of red.

"Thanks…"

"It's only the truth," Sasuke replies, focusing his attention onto the laminated paper before him. "Now what will we have?"

After that, the rest of the dinner runs smoothly; the blond gradually opens himself back up, seeming to forget the job comment made earlier. Naruto discusses his home life, his considerations on moving out and finding his own place, his school work and other typical things going on in his life. He seems to be doing well for the three years he has not communicated with Sasuke, but interestingly, the subject of his love life remains shadowed. Sasuke remembers him mentioning he has been single, so he does not really fret over competition.

While Naruto mostly talks, Sasuke listens. He mentions a comment about himself once in a while, but otherwise he does not say much. He reveals that he is going into work for his father's company and that is what his life revolves around. Naruto tells him that is boring, but Sasuke does not take it personally.

The waitress eventually ceases to bother Sasuke; she actually turns out to be very good at her job, constantly tending to the two with a smile on her face.

When they are finished their meals, nursing glasses of water, Naruto looks at Sasuke with a serious look in his eyes.

"I'm actually kind of surprised you didn't talk about your brother."

Sasuke scoffs. "Why would I talk about him?"

"We kind of were talking…you know? Shit, I can remember the day I woke up and you were standing at the foot of his bed like a creeper. You almost gave me a heart attack."

"I wasn't even there long," Sasuke murmurs. The blond laughs.

"You wanted me then, didn't you?" Naruto asks.

"I was more confused at that point. You kissing me caught me off guard."

"Well, if you makes you feel better…" Naruto takes a sip of his drink before continuing: "Itachi and I haven't really talked since you told me to stop messing with your family. He agreed we should stop seeing one another just so he could respect you, you know. We were supposed to stay in contact, but I think we got caught up in our own lives. There is absolutely no way I'm going to turn back to him, though. He showed me a picture of the person he likes and it's pretty serious – she's cute."

Sasuke's eyebrow raises. "She?"

"Yeah, she. The name is Deidara or something, although apparently there's some drama with that one. She's still recovering from the death of her previous partner."

"Naruto…Deidara is a boy."

Naruto blinks. "Really?"

"Yes."

"I fucking _hate_it when that happens!" the blond yells, throwing his hands into the air. His dramatized reaction is rather amusing to watch. Ino even comes rushing over, asking them if they are okay. This causes Naruto to blush heavily, but it also raises the first true smile from Sasuke that night.

"Well anyway…" The blond coughs. "Point is, don't worry about your brother. He's actually on your side. I'm pretty sure he wants us to have sex."

The younger Uchiha rarely loses him composure – but for this moment, he actually chokes on his drink from Naruto's blunt words. This causes his date to laugh loudly, rather than trying to help Sasuke and see if he is choking.

What an idiot.

"You mean to tell me you want me, but never thought about sex?" the blond questions, smiling slyly.

"My relationship just ended with my girlfriend. I also don't give much thought to homosexual men having sex. So no, you idiot – I hardly thought about intercourse between us. I have had brief sexual thoughts, but nothing distracting."

"Probably will now," Naruto mutters. "Mention it once and you can't go back."

"Is this an offer?" Sasuke responds, offering his date a tantalizing smirk. The blond rolls his eyes.

"I don't put out for the first month. Besides, after the shit you pulled on me in high school and at my job, you wouldn't get any until after the first year. I'm not guaranteeing whatever this is working out, so I wouldn't get too deeply involved."

At this comment, Sasuke frowns. How can Naruto tell him not to get deeply involved, when their rivalry and tension has been going on for years now? Granted, they have not seen each other for three years, but their past prevents them from being just acquaintances.

He will just have to prove he is better than any other potential candidates.

"I wouldn't ask for you to have sex when you're not comfortable with it," Sasuke states. "Even now, this is all too new for me to even think about intimacy on that level. I may not be experienced in dating, but I'm different in that I'm not primarily searching for sex. With any other partner, I am positive that no matter if you are gay or straight, the majority of typical people are looking for one thing only."

"Got that right," the blond agrees.

Thankfully, after that, their conversation breaches different subjects, ones which do not focus on Itachi. Sasuke's relationship with Itachi has not improved, so it is not pleasant to even think about his older sibling.

When it gets to be about nine o'clock, Sasuke figures it is time to head out. He pays the whole bill – much to Naruto's protest, the blond claiming that he is not a princess who needs someone to pay for him. When they reach the parking lot, the younger Uchiha follows the blond to his car, the SUV still looking as terrible as the first day he remembers seeing it.

"Well thanks for the dinner," Naruto says, unlocking his car. Sasuke nods.

"Will this happen again?" the younger Uchiha murmurs. Naruto puts on a thoughtful expression, even tapping his chin for an extra measure. Sasuke knows this is a tactic just to annoy him, so he tries to repress any twitching of his eye or fidgeting.

Finally, as Naruto climbs into the driver's seat, he offers Sasuke an answer:

"Sure. I'll call you."

After that, there are no wishes goodnight or parting words; Naruto just pulls out of the parking lot and with a brief wave of the hand, his car is soon out of sight.

Sasuke supposes he deserves that ambiguity. Naruto will call him, but knowing the idiot, he could wear Sasuke's patience thin and not make contact until two weeks later. It unnerves him, but if he is going to pursue the blond, the ball is in Naruto's court – not his.

The younger Uchiha becomes sour as he enters his own car.

Now he knows what all of those girls who follow him feel like.

X X X

At the time of the first date, Sasuke predicted two weeks.

Once the end of the fourth week approaches with no word from the blond, Sasuke decides he will pay Naruto a visit. He has to ask Itachi for another copy of the address, and while it is embarrassing, Itachi does not tease him for it or even makes any sly comments. He genuinely seems to accept that Sasuke is trying to start things over and that seems to gain his respect. This creates a more pleasant atmosphere between the two, but in the end, Itachi is still not his favorite person in the world.

Entering his garage, Sasuke gradually starts to feel more frustrated. By the time he is in his car, he is very tempted to call Naruto's cell phone and demand a reason for the lack of communication. Sasuke likes to think he is not that bad of a guy, and while their date did not start off particularly well, he thought it was successful by the time the night ended.

He supposes he is the only one. All Naruto has to do is tell him the truth.

Due to traffic, it takes him longer than anticipated to drive to the idiot's apartment complex. This wears his patience even thinner, so once he is in front of the series of brick buildings, he is not very gentle in shutting the car door.

Sasuke even takes two steps at a time to reach the designated floor. As he gets off the last step, he freezes in his spot.

Naruto stands in front of his door, a smile on his face. This part does not bother Sasuke; what surprises him is a redhead standing way too close to Naruto, hands in his pockets. He looks cold; his eyes are green but they are somehow closed off.

Neither male notices his presence. When Naruto gives the redhead a kiss on his cheek, hand clutched on his shoulder, Sasuke bites his lip and a low sound grumbles from his throat.

The noise does not go unnoticed; the blond glances at the stairway, his eyes widening as he recognizes Sasuke's figure. The redhead gives him a quick glance over, but he seems unimpressed.

The younger Uchiha vaguely realizes he is jealous and that he is disappointed Naruto would move on so fast. No wonder he has not called him in four weeks.

"If you were going to lead me on, you shouldn't have accepted my proposal in the first place," Sasuke bites out, his voice deep with anger. He knows he is being irrational, because it is not like Naruto is cheating on him; the blond told him from the start that there are not any romantic feelings and that there is no guarantee there will be. Sasuke is too confident to realize that competition _does_exist.

After hearing Sasuke's words, it is Naruto's turn to become angry.

"Don't _you_dare lecture me on leading people on."

A low blow. Sasuke clenches his fists.

"Fine. I won't."

Then Sasuke walks off, back down the stairs with heavier footsteps than are necessary. He remembers Itachi mentioning a foreign word to him – karma – which is seeming to apply to him right now.

Is this his punishment for Sakura?

Vaguely, Sasuke wonders if this is what betrayal feels like. It could be worse, but its effect is still strong. The feeling is absolutely bitter to deal with, but it triggers Sasuke to get into his car and make his way to Sakura's home.

He made a mistake.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Author Notes: **Three things. One, I reached the 100 review mark, and that's absolutely wonderful! Thank you all for your support! Two, must I say that wow, the intensity of the reviews kind of shocked me. Some people seemed upset with how I ended the previous chapter, but I've done it for a reason. Remember guys, this WILL end as a SasuNaru, as much as it may not seem like it at the moment. I appreciate any and every review that was submitted; I like to hear your opinions. Finally, three - this is kind of a filler chapter to develop their relationship more, but the slight moments of fluff hopefully makes it worthwhile.

**Disclaimer: **The series _Naruto _does not belong to me – rather, to Masashi Kishimoto. All of the characters, name settings, etc. (unless mentioned or recognized otherwise) belong to him, not me.

**Summary:** Uchiha Sasuke has everything – the perfect status, the perfect girlfriend and the perfect image. However, like most seemingly perfect things, they do not last long. This is a story of how one Uzumaki Naruto can ruin it all. –SasuNaru- Other couples include: SasuSaku, ItaNaru, KibaHina, mentioned GaaNaru, ItaDei

**Specifies Scene Change:**X X X

**PERFECT**

X X X

_-Naruto-_

"Who was that?"

Scowling, Naruto throws open his front door. "No one."

The redhead regards Naruto skeptically.

"Then why are you reacting so badly?"

"Gaara, shut up."

When Gaara gives him a blank stare, Naruto knows he is going to have to tell him; the redhead is not going to take silence or denial for an answer, no matter how much Naruto does not want to talk about it. This does not mean the blond speaks immediately; in fact, he goes to the bathroom, changes his clothes and starts a pot of hot water before sitting on the couch next to his ex-boyfriend.

Gaara does not seem affected at all.

"Begin," is his command, settling comfortably in the worn furniture. Naruto lets in a deep sigh.

He is about to summarize a few years in several sentences, while trying to be an unbiased as possible. Naruto already knows he is going to fail to some degree – but whatever.

"Okay, so that guy is from my second high school - total jackass. We started off on the wrong foot and it was that way for a little bit. He's the type of guy who is a kiss ass for his parents, you know? He had a girlfriend, but then he became interested in me. He wanted to try something with me, but I get the feeling he wanted to keep it secret from his girlfriend. His parents are really famous and all, and he didn't want that information public. I wasn't about to be the guy who is on the side, and besides, I was kind of talking to his brother-"

Gaara frowns. "You were talking to his brother?"

"Yes…"

"You have no sense of honor. You don't date or talk to two brothers at the same time."

"Gaara, we're missing the point here," Naruto says, dismissing his ex-boyfriend's comment. The blond knows Gaara is right, but he is not willing to admit that at this second.

"Well, three years pass, and we meet up again. He came into my work, and this little girl I babysit didn't like something he said, so she kicked him. He then got me fired for that because I pretty much condoned her behavior, so I came up to his house and told his family everything that happened between us in high school. His relationship ended up failing after that, so he came here and basically wanted to make a new start by taking me out on a date - since apparently, he still wants me. We had our date about four weeks ago, and I suppose he came here because I haven't called him back. I guess he saw me kiss you, and then he flipped."

"I hate it when you kiss me," Gaara comments bluntly, causing Naruto to frown. "You say it's a friend thing, but I would only kiss the person I am romantically involved with."

"You're so negative," the blond murmurs. Gaara shrugs.

"Well in regards to your situation, it is obvious that the both of you are acting stupid."

Naruto gapes. After all that, he would think that his friend would mostly be on his side – for Gaara to say he is being stupid shocks him. He has not really done anything wrong, although it is questionable whether yelling at Sasuke's family is one of the best decisions he has ever made. Sasuke has been the one pulling his strings whenever they see one another, not him.

Gaara seems to notice Naruto's incredulous expression, for he says:

"It is wrong for him to juggle two people, and for him to interfere in your job is not acceptable. If he is so bad, why are you even giving him a chance? He was obviously jealous when you kissed me, so I can tell he is interested. You can't hate someone and then let them take you on a date. That gives off mixed signals."

"Look, you weren't there when he came and told me that his relationship is done. It seemed like he had a change of heart. He just let it all out. If you knew this guy, you'd know he _never _opens up. It doesn't hurt to give him one night; besides, I told him that there would be no guarantee of us even becoming anything just because we went on a date. He knew, so he shouldn't have been surprised."

"Naruto, for all this dislike you seem to harbor for him, you forgive him easily – or at least overlook his wrongdoings. Don't lead him on – just say you two can be just friends. It's simple. Stop making things complicated."

The blond scowls. "I'm not making it complicated."

"You went on a date with this guy. According to you, you didn't call him back for four weeks. Despite this long period of time, he came to check on you instead of completely forgetting you. I am not saying he is the nicest person in the world, but he seems to genuinely want something romantic. You're making it complicated by playing a game of conveniently deciding if you want him or not – you do or you don't. I do not want to hear more about your problems with this guy if you're in control of the situation."

Naruto sighs. "You're so blunt and mean."

"I'll tell you like I see it," Gaara replies. "You're lucky I'm even talking at all. I don't usually talk about stupid things."

"It's offensive that you're calling my relationships stupid," Naruto replies, feeling rather offended. This is the reason why Gaara couldn't have been his boyfriend for long; he is genuinely a cold person. He has never been romantic, although he always has made Naruto an exception. They share a close relationship, but it is better off being friendly rather than romantic…no matter _how _good the sex may have been.

"It's offensive that you're not thinking simple things through," Gaara says back. Frowning, Naruto decides he will never talk to his ex about relationships again; the man's wording and advice make him completely frustrated. He needs to get away from Gaara for now – perhaps he can call Sasuke and dare he say, _apologize._

What the redhead says makes sense, but that does not mean Naruto has to like it.

"I'll go and fix things then," the blond states, standing from the couch and heading to his bedroom. He picks his cell phone off of his small dresser, not surprised to see not one text message or call from Sasuke. He did not look happy when he left.

He opens the younger Uchiha's contact information and calls his number. The phone rings twice before an agitated voice answers.

"Naruto."

"Sasuke…"

"You're a little late to call," Sasuke says over the phone. "Where's your boyfriend?"

"That's my ex-boyfriend, bastard."

"Normal people don't kiss their exes."

Funny, Gaara said something along the same lines.

"I just wanted to say I'm-"

Before Naruto can apologize, a female voice begins talking in the background. It is too high to be Sasuke's mother's voice and to Naruto's knowledge, Sasuke does not have many female friends, if any at all. She is asking him if he wants anything to drink. There is only one possible person.

The blond frowns. "Is that Sakura?"

"If it is?"

"Then I'm going to be a little confused and pissed," Naruto responds, clutching his cell phone tightly. "You told me you two are over."

"And we are over, although I do not understand how that affects you. You seem to have moved on after our date, so the relationship between Sakura and I is none of your business."

"Please tell me she isn't so dumb to take you back."

Naruto hears a pause on the other end, and that gives him the time to realize what he just said probably are not the nicest words. However, Sasuke is quick to retaliate:

"Well Naruto, you were so dumb to even give me an opportunity. If it makes you sleep better at night, then no, we are not together. With that settled, are we finished yet? Why would I waste my breath on someone who doesn't even want to talk in the first place?"

Naruto supposes this is the part where he should apologize…but it is very difficult to, with Sasuke being a bastard over the phone.

"Look…"

He may as well give it a try.

"I'm sorry that you assumed Gaara and I are together. I'm also sorry I didn't call you for a while. Four weeks is kind of a long time."

Sasuke is silent on the other line. Naruto sighs before continuing:

"Sasuke…just…don't do something stupid with Sakura. That means that everything you said to me was a lie. If that's the case, get out of my life. I don't need to be played with."

"It wasn't a lie," the younger Uchiha states. It seems to have gone quiet in the background, and that eases Naruto's nerves. Perhaps he has left Sakura's house – that makes Naruto feel a lot better. She doesn't need to go through anything else.

"Naruto. It wasn't a lie. I meant what I said in regards to my feelings toward you."

"I heard you the first time," the blond mumbles, sitting down on his bed.

"I haven't done anything reprehensible."

"Then why are you there?"

"I didn't have good intentions arriving here," Sasuke admits. "I asked her to give me a second chance so that we can start over. Obviously you are not interested, so I need to move on myself."

"If you're moving on, do it with a different person," Naruto replies bitterly. He knows Sasuke has issues, but to resort to _this? _"She said no, right?"

"Of course she said no. Sakura isn't a stupid woman."

"But you were hoping she'd have a lapse in sanity, and you'd take advantage of it by getting back with her. Just when I think you start to grow up, you do things that are so selfish," Naruto says, feeling slightly disappointed. He momentarily thinks about hanging up and keep Sasuke waiting for an eternity, but that would very much irritate the younger Uchiha.

"That's what Sakura said," Sasuke replies, letting out a sarcastic chuckle. "Perhaps it is you two who are made for one another."

Naruto gags. Does his homosexuality mean nothing? "That's disgusting."

"I'm sure it is. So where do we stand, Naruto?"

The blond bites his lip. Where do they stand? Sasuke does not need to jump into a romantic relationship, and while their date was not bad, Sasuke needs time to develop himself. After his reaction to Gaara, Sasuke needs to tone down the jealousy – especially when he feels the need to run back to his ex.

He has a good idea.

"Friends, then."

"Friends?" Sasuke repeats, his voice in complete disbelief. "You want to be friends?"

"Sure. One step at a time. If you loosen up a little, maybe you can learn to have fun and be more enjoyable. I could help you with that."

There – he chose, just as Gaara has told him to do. He cannot drag Sasuke along when he is not sure if they will be anything romantic, but they can certainly develop another type of relationship if Sasuke is so keen on having the blond in his life.

"Naruto, I don't have friends. I have associates."

The blond chuckles humorlessly. "That explains a lot."

"I thought you said you wanted to be friends. You're not off to a good start," Sasuke remarks. Naruto smiles.

"Alright, alright. But you can't just have associates; you need someone who you can trust. You're kind of lacking in social skills, the ability to relax and having fun. When's your next day off?"

For a second, Naruto berates himself for trying to involve himself in Sasuke's life again – however, perhaps he can get on his good side and stop this hostility. If he is going to make Sasuke his friend, he needs the younger Uchiha to get a little loose.

A plan immediately pops into his brain, and Sasuke is lucky not to see the devious smirk emerging on the blond's face. So caught up in his thoughts, Naruto doesn't hear Sasuke speaking until he shouts 'Naruto' loudly.

"Yeah, um, sorry. Zoned out."

"I said I'm off tomorrow."

Damn – for being mad at him earlier, Sasuke sure is making a point to see him as soon as possible…

…or maybe his only off day _is _tomorrow.

"Alright, well, come to my place around eight tomorrow night. We'll go out."

"Idiot, where are we going-"

"Bye Sasuke!"

Until tomorrow.

X X X

"This is a joke."

Really, Naruto should not be surprised by Sasuke's reaction. He figured he should start off tame when taking his former classmate out; that means no clubs, gay bars, or anything which could ruin his reputation. A karaoke bar is relaxing, humorous and allows the two of them to bond. _Of course _Sasuke would be opposed to the idea, but Naruto is already here and he is not going to leave.

With that in mind, the blond shrugs his shoulders. "It's not a joke. I could've scared the shit out of you and taken you to a male strip club, but I'm nice."

"You don't expect me to sing, do you?" Sasuke asks, sliding his hands into his pockets. He is dressed a little too nicely for the bar in a button-down shirt and casual slacks, but it is nothing too fancy. It is better than Naruto's plain t-shirt and too old jeans. The blond figures he would spill beer on himself, anyway – no need to impress anyone.

Maybe that is why he is single.

"No, I don't expect you to sing," Naruto answers, holding the door for his companion. "I will though."

"Can you sing?"

"Not at all," the blond chirps happily. "It'd probably make you laugh though."

"It would more embarrass me," Sasuke replies, but he doesn't seem annoyed with the thought. In fact, he seems content; the establishment is very relaxing and there are not too many people here. Naruto does not think Sasuke would do well in very large crowds, anyway.

The blond chooses a table not too close to the stage, but enough to get a good look at the singers. A young woman is currently singing an old ballad, not sounding terrible but obviously not talented either. He pays for two bottles of beer at the bar, giving one to Sasuke when he takes his seat.

The younger Uchiha eyes it skeptically. "I thought you really didn't have money."

"I don't, but I'm out and trying to have a good time. Moegi's mom pays me pretty well and rent isn't due for another month."

"I can't forgive her yet," Sasuke says, making Naruto chuckle. "What kind of child thinks it is acceptable to do that to another person?"

"Moegi does. That has to be the funniest thing that has happened all year."

"I'm glad you feel that way," Sasuke murmurs before swinging back his head and drowning a good portion of the bottle. If Sasuke is going to have any more alcohol, Naruto is not paying for it.

"Don't get drunk. I don't feel like dealing with that. Kiba gets drunk all the time and he gets really annoying. He starts talking about his girlfriend and their awesome sex life, and honestly, I'm so homosexual that it gets pretty gross."

"So if I want to make you go away, all I have to do is describe my sex life with my ex," Sasuke states, his lips turning upwards into a smirk. The blond shudders.

"Please don't."

"So I never thought she was really vocal-"

"Damn it Sasuke, I'm serious!" Naruto exclaims, even placing his hands over his ears. The younger Uchiha looks satisfied, even having the audacity to get closer and start describing Sakura in more detail. All the blond can pick out are the words 'wet' and 'smooth' and he knows it is time for him to drink some more.

"If you want to play that then, we can talk about my sexual experiences too," the blond grumbles. Sasuke's smirk becomes even bigger and next thing Naruto knows, his partner has finished his drink and is already ordering another. It looks like Sasuke is not going to listen to him. Hopefully, considering Sasuke's ability to down his alcohol and not be affected by it, he will not get plastered so easily.

Bastard.

"She used to do this thing with her tongue-"

"You're a fucking bluff, because I can't see that girl even going down on you," Naruto says. Sasuke's eyebrow rises.

"Not bad," the younger Uchiha replies. "She always thought that kind of thing was disgusting. Normally, I wouldn't talk about these kinds of things, but I'm enjoying your discomfort."

"You like me being uncomfortable? Okay, my turn. Want to know my secrets, top or bottom?"

Sasuke frowns. "I don't want to hear it-"

"My last relationship was with that redhead guy you saw. We broke up because he was kind of cold and got a little possessive, so it was better we became friends. Since he was so possessive, you can imagine how I didn't get to be on top a lot. He was kind of into BDSM-"

"Idiot, if you stop, I will stop."

Smiling, Naruto clinks his bottle against his companion's. "Deal."

Afterwards, they exchange various stories. The situation reminds Naruto of their date, but it is a lot more relaxing knowing that they are out as friends rather than potential lovers. Bemusedly, Naruto thinks to himself that this is probably the best way to actually make himself romantically interested in Sasuke, but the younger Uchiha does not have to know that. The blond prefers friends over bedmates who have rushed too fast.

In the middle of a particular conversation about Moegi – he is starting to convince Sasuke to forgive her – an annoying ring interrupts them. It is Sasuke's phone, because he wordlessly slides the device out of his pocket and brings it up to his ear.

"Father."

The blond goes quiet. The last thing Sasuke's dad needs to know is that he is hanging out with the man who busted into his home.

"I'm out right now. … … …I will start those in the morning. … … Yes father. Good night."

Naruto waits for Sasuke to speak. After the phone call, if the blond is not mistaken, Sasuke looks a little exasperated.

"I should go home."

"Why?" Naruto asks, a bit disappointed. Despite their bickering, the blond is having fun. They have had rather amiable conversation.

"My father wants me to start on these documents despite it being my day off. I'd rather start them tomorrow morning, although he is making it hard for me to say no."

"Don't do it then," the blond states, finishing up his first bottle. "I don't know, the answer is pretty clear to me. Enjoy your time not working. You haven't even gotten to hear me sing yet!"

Naruto thinks he sees a hint of a smile, but before he can blink it is gone.

"Let's just not leave too late."

"Then I better get in at least three songs," Naruto comments, arising from his chair. Sasuke's expression immediately turns serious, probably because he does not want to be embarrassed by Naruto's singing.

It is too bad that the blond does not really care and that he thinks the younger Uchiha needs to loosen up anyway.

Within the next fifteen minutes, Naruto is called to the stage. Sasuke is trying not to look at him, but that just makes Naruto find the situation even funnier. When the background music starts, the blond brings himself close to the microphone and is soon singing the lyrics. He is definitely not a singer, but he likes to think he can carry a tune. According to the audience, he is tolerable to listen to and so a small gathering starts forming in front of the stage. It is a stupid, cheesy love song and it is a personal favorite from when he was a kid.

He notices Sasuke order two more beers and the thought almost makes the blond cackle hysterically. By the time Naruto finishes the song, half of one beer is gone. He does not even know what the big issue is; when the music comes off, he receives a variety of cheers and claps. It is not like he has made a fool of himself.

Of course, Sasuke seems to think differently; he does not make eye contact until Naruto is seated back at the table, a stupidly large grin on his face.

"You need practice."

"It's not a career choice," Naruto replies. "You should try it."

"No."

"Come on, bastard!"

"No."

"Please-"

"Shut up and let me drink."

X X X

When they exit the establishment at one in the morning, Naruto wonders if this is considered 'too late'. He gets his answer when Sasuke looks at his watch and his eyes widen to a huge size. Normally, Sasuke would not be this expressive, but Naruto thinks it is due to the alcohol. Sasuke is not drunk, but five beers definitely make him loose.

"It's one in the morning."

"So? You had fun, didn't you?"

"I'd have more fun if you let me kiss you," Sasuke is quick to reply, smirking. The blond rolls his eyes; great, a tipsy Sasuke is a flirty one. He could not have imagined that, and now he definitely does not want to think what a full-on inebriated Sasuke would be like. In his experience with drunks, they have not been pleasant; Kiba tends to be drunk whenever they go out, and unfortunately, he just acts stupid. It is not even funny – it's just _stupid. _Meanwhile, Gaara gets introspective, likes to be left alone and just wants to sleep.

In the back of his head, Naruto hypothesizes Sasuke is that kind of drunk who wants to have sex. He definitely should not be around for that.

"This could have gone worse," Sasuke says abruptly, looking up at the sky. Naruto almost opens his mouth to yell at him, but seeing Sasuke so relaxed makes him hesitate. His goal has been to calm him, and it seems that has worked; Sasuke has finally found some peace in light of his failed relationship and hectic schedule.

Besides, considering the expression on the younger Uchiha's face, 'this could have gone worse' is Sasuke's way of saying 'I had a good time'. He is not going to change overnight, although in this little time, Naruto has seen some progress.

And, as a plus, Naruto has enjoyed himself as well – especially the karaoke. It makes it even better that Sasuke wanted to kill him.

"If you want to do something again, we can go out whenever you feel like it," Naruto comments, pulling out his keys. They have about a half of a block left until they reach his car.

"I'd prefer something calmer."

"Like…"

"I don't do much for fun. My activities which don't pertain to work are reading and sometimes the occasional drive."

"Then let's take a drive," Naruto replies. "Maybe out of Konoha and to where it's more rural. Take some food and just relax."

"Possibly."

The two are silent, Sasuke's last word ringing in the air. Once the two reach the parking lot, Naruto begins to feel awkward. They have not had one moment of tension all night, but the blond cannot expect everything to go without some discomfort. Despite this, the night has been successful. He and Sasuke have never been so peaceful in the time they have known one another.

"So…"

"It will be difficult to be your friend," the younger Uchiha murmurs suddenly. The blond becomes confused.

"Why? I thought everything went well. Did I do something?"

"You just were yourself. You are so intriguing to Itachi and me because we never meet people like you."

Sasuke is tipsy, not in his right mind…but the flattery does intrigue Naruto. So it seems that Sasuke is not only flirty, but rather talkative as well.

Although…how does this night make it difficult for Naruto to be his friend? The blond thinks they had a good time; they did not fight or argue. They even were comfortable enough to talk about their past sex lives! That is what friends do.

"I wish I could have you."

_Oh – _that's why. The blond licks his lips nervously. Feelings like that do not disappear easily, but it is always shocking to hear none the less.

"We are friends, Sasuke. Please don't expect more," Naruto states. They have reached the car now, the blond unlocking the vehicle while not making eye contact with his companion. He does not want to look at Sasuke in the face, knowing that he is tipsy and more susceptible to showing emotion than normal. Naruto has always been weak when it comes to emotions, and he does not want to lead Sasuke on.

"Naruto…"

The whisper of his name makes the blond pause in his movements. Thin, pale fingers move to his wrist, caressing the smooth skin there. Naruto gulps.

"Kiss me once."

His voice has come close; in fact, it is along the shell of his ear. Sasuke cannot do this – not right now.

The blond is never taking him drinking again.

"Sasuke, no."

The younger Uchiha's body stiffens.

"Is Itachi better then?"

The question is cold and takes Naruto completely off guard. He finally looks at the younger Uchiha, surprised to see the bitterness in his eyes and a frown on his face. Sasuke needs to go to sleep and let this alcohol eventually lessen its toll; Naruto is not used to an emotional Sasuke and not knowing what to do scares him.

The blond tries to talk truthfully, while at the same time easing Sasuke's anxiety: "No, Itachi isn't better. I hang out with you more now, you know? How about I get you home for some sleep? Remember those documents?"

Sasuke nods. He's still so self-conscious of being compared to Itachi...

Maybe Naruto can help him with that someday.

Sasuke must feel reassured, because body loses tension. He is so tipsy it is ridiculous.

Meanwhile, while his companion is more relaxed than what is considered normal for him, Naruto begins to feel anxious; his throat begins to close and his heart beats faster. He notices that even with Sasuke close, it is hard to see him due to the lack of light. The streetlights are either not working or are very dim, and he is in a secluded parking lot with no other company but a slightly inebriated male.

It is definitely time to leave.

"Sasuke, let's go."

Opening his car door, Naruto immediately searches for the light overhead. He pushes the button, and then he looks out of his windshield to see if Sasuke has made it to the passenger side yet.

His mouth opens in horror as a figure comes from the right, dressed in all black complete with a face mask. Before Naruto can yell, the unknown person has Sasuke knocked over to the ground, the two disappearing from the blond's view. Now thoroughly scared and panicked, Naruto exits from the car to try and help.

The person in black seems to just be a thief, his hands checking all over Sasuke's body. The blond does not even think; he pushes the person off of Sasuke, making the other fall to the ground. Naruto follows up with a swift kick to the abdomen, catching the stranger off guard and causing him to moan in pain.

With the other person out of commission, Naruto checks over Sasuke. It bothers him how he is limp, not responding to Naruto's touches at all; the blond checks over his abdomen, legs, anywhere, making sure that this thief did not hurt Sasuke with a hidden knife or _anything-_

-and then Naruto feels for Sasuke's head, and his heart drops when something warm coats his hands. He lifts the younger Uchiha from the back of the head, terrified to see a very small puddle forming underneath. Checking his palm, the liquid proves to be Naruto's worst fear.

He does not hesitate to pull his phone from his pocket, calling for emergency. It does not matter that he can drive there himself, or that the thief has now run away and is long gone – Sasuke is _hurt _and he does not want him to suffer.

Naruto cradles Sasuke against him, rocking back and forth. When the ambulance arrives, Naruto does not let go until they force him off.

The rest is a blur.

X X X

The first thing Naruto registers is an annoying sound. As his eyes open, he sleepily realizes that the sound is his phone. He lets it eventually go off by itself, but within seconds of no ringing, it starts again. The blond looks at the screen, not surprised to see the name 'Kiba' flashing.

What is he doing? Where is he?

Naruto answers the phone drowsily.

"Kiba?"

"Where are you? Did you and Sasuke get that drunk?"

Sasuke? What?

In an instant, everything comes rushing back to him – the walk back, unlocking the car, turning on the light, seeing that thief…Sasuke's blood…

"Oh _fuck…_Sasuke!" the blond exclaims over the phone, immediately standing. He is confused to see himself in a hospital waiting room, a few people seated throughout the room and a nurse at a desk. Naruto remembers being in an ambulance, watching as Sasuke got rushed to an emergency unit, and then being told to wait here. He must have fallen asleep…but what has happened to Sasuke? Is he okay?

"Naruto?"

"Fuck, Kiba, somebody jumped him and I'm at the hospital and _what the fuck _I need to know if he's okay…!"

"Calm down! Naruto, calm down! I'm going to come, okay? What unit are you in?"

Taking in a deep breath, Naruto shakily replies: "I think emergency."

"I'll be there soon."

When Kiba hangs up, Naruto falls back into the chair. Checking the time, he notices it to be only about four o'clock in the morning; he and Sasuke left the place at one, so he has only been here for about three hours. The blond needs to know what happened, but more importantly Sasuke's condition. Eyeing the nurse by the desk, he hopes she can give him any information.

He rushes over quickly, startling her slightly.

"Is Uchiha Sasuke okay?"

She immediately goes into her computer, checking what Naruto assumes are status updates.

"He was admitted about one forty-five in the morning…he had a head injury, and it looks like a gash on the back of his head. I can imagine everything has settled now, so why don't I get the doctor who attended to him? May I ask who you are?"

"His boyfriend," Naruto blurts out. He knows it is not true, but hospital staff tend to give family and partners more leniencies when it comes to visiting. Naruto doesn't want to leave Sasuke by himself, especially when his family probably doesn't know of his condition at the moment. He wants to be there when the younger Uchiha wakes up.

"I'll go find the doctor then," the woman replies sweetly. Naruto is confused as to why the doctor did not wake him up with news, but the doctor would not know who came with Sasuke; the blond hung back in the waiting room the moment Sasuke went through the emergency doors.

Those several minutes it takes the nurse to find the doctor feel like hours. When she finally returns with another female behind her, Naruto is quick to get out of his seat and approach the other person.

He does not waste time. "Is he okay? I rode with him in the ambulance."

The female nods, her short hair moving with the action. "I'm Dr. Shizune. Mr. Uchiha will be just fine. It looks like he hit the ground very hard, enough for the back of his head to break open. Luckily, all he needed was stitches – no concussion or any injury to the brain. Paramedics informed me that you said that someone attacked him. They must have forced his head onto the ground so hard it cut him open."

Naruto nods dumbly, his mind still trying to catch up with the situation. "Yeah. I should've been more careful…I know that part of the downtown district isn't the best. When I opened the car, the person came completely out of nowhere. I didn't see them slam Sasuke to the ground, but it must've happened if Sasuke got such a bad cut."

The doctor makes a noise of agreement. "I've let him heal and sleep. The police will be arriving soon to take a statement from him. There have been attacks of that nature in that area, so I think it is best he gives as many details as possible. He could have seen his face."

"I got close enough to kick the asshole in the stomach. He was wearing a mask."

"Hm, well, any details will help. He has been awake for fifteen minutes now, so you are more than welcome to see him Mr…?"

"Uzumaki. Call me Naruto."

The doctor smiles. "Naruto. Nurse, would you lead the way?"

As they walk to Sasuke's room, the blond thinks the nurse is too slow – or maybe he is just too anxious. Arriving at the destination, the woman pops her head into the room and says:

"Mr. Uchiha? Your boyfriend is here."

Sasuke is going to kill him. Naruto walks through the door before Sasuke can make any word of protest, and so the nurse takes that as her cue to leave. His former classmate is hooked up to an IV, which is probably administering painkillers. Of course, despite the attack, Sasuke still looks the same – his eyes are a little sunken in, but it is nothing dramatic. Bastard, always looking pretty even when he's in pain.

"Boyfriend?" the injured man asks, his voice raspy. Naruto chuckles nervously.

"Yeah, um, thought that would be easier for me to see you."

Sasuke grunts in response, adjusting himself slightly to get more comfortable. The blond takes a seat close to the bed, leaning closely so he can make eye contact with his companion. Naruto feels like shit, absolute _shit _for somehow letting this happen.

"I'm sorry Sasuke."

"You didn't jump me, so you are not to blame."

"Doesn't help me from not feeling guilty," Naruto murmurs, bringing his gaze downwards. "The police will be here to take a statement."

"Am I in Konoha General Hospital?" Sasuke abruptly asks, his eyebrows furrowing. Distantly, Naruto ponders how good-looking Sasuke is. He wonders if he would looks as handsome if he was the one banged up. Naruto also wonders what he would do if something terribly damaging happened to Sasuke tonight – they may not have been the best of friends, but Naruto would mourn none the less.

"Naruto?"

"Sasuke, I'm really sorry…"

"Stop blaming yourself," the younger Uchiha says curtly, causing Naruto's head to snap upwards and stare. "If you truly want to make it up to me, you can still kiss me."

"Are you serious?" Naruto gapes. "You're stitched up and you're still trying to get me. Are you still tipsy or just high on drugs? Better yet, or are you just _dumb?"_

Despite the blond's words, he says them with humor. Sasuke must really be okay if he is teasing him like this.

"The painkillers, idiot. Now tell me, is this Konoha General?"

"Yes, why?"

"You are aware that Sakura is doing an internship for her nursing degree here," Sasuke states. The blond shrugs.

"It's four in the morning. I really doubt she's taking an early shift on a Sunday, Sasuke. Even if she did show up, I don't mind."

"She might mind. She isn't happy with you."

"Yeah, I get that. I'll take it when it comes," Naruto replies dully. "Anyhow, I'm going to stay until you're discharged, which shouldn't be too long unless the whole police report thing takes forever. Kiba is coming, and we can take you home."

Sasuke nods, although the movement is lagged. He must be sleepy, so Naruto takes the hospital blankets and rearranges them to better cover the younger Uchiha. By the time he finishes, Sasuke is already half-asleep, his head nodded off to the side.

Naruto will nap with him. The blond does not realize when he dozes off, his head on Sasuke's legs and arms cuddled into the blankets.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Author Notes: **There is one word for my much delayed update: college. For that, I apologize. I don't intend to drag out this story more than twelve chapters. OH, and it's so humorous to see people recently mention they want a Sasuke as dominant, like you guys know it's coming up. To reassure you all: the couple is SasuNaru, not NaruSasu.

**Disclaimer: **The series _Naruto _does not belong to me – rather, to Masashi Kishimoto. All of the characters, name settings, etc. (unless mentioned or recognized otherwise) belong to him, not me.

**Summary:** Uchiha Sasuke has everything – the perfect status, the perfect girlfriend and the perfect image. However, like most seemingly perfect things, they do not last long. This is a story of how one Uzumaki Naruto can ruin it all. –SasuNaru- Other couples include: SasuSaku, ItaNaru, KibaHina, mentioned GaaNaru, ItaDei

**Specifies Scene Change: **X X X

**PERFECT**

X X X

_-Sasuke-_

When Sasuke comes to, he feels warm. Groggily, as he feels heavy pressure of weight on his legs, he begins to piece together why.

Looking down, there on his calves is a sleeping Naruto. His blond hair is spread everywhere and his arms are on the edge of the bed, tucked in front of his chest. He looks serene, but most of all, he looks amazing – Naruto's face is youthful and lacks any signs of stress. Despite his loud mouth, his snores are very soft. Sasuke could deal with a sleeping Naruto on a regular basis, as long as he is the only one who is allowed to see it.

The blond is stubborn, Sasuke will give him that. No one has denied him like Naruto has, and on top of this, it genuinely seems like the blond does not want him. If friends are all they can be right now, then Sasuke has to take that over being a complete stranger. Naruto offers trust, and Sasuke has already subconsciously given his. The blond would never intentionally hurt him unless Sasuke instigated. No wonder his brother was fascinated with Naruto; he is everything an Uchiha is not.

Good thing _that_relationship has ended. He cannot stand the thought of his brother sexually interested in Naruto. In fact, Sasuke does not very much like the thought of anyone being sexually interested in the blond, but he passes it off.

A knock on the door interrupts his thoughts. Calling out a 'come in', a police officer walks in. This part eventually has to come, but Sasuke cannot offer anything useful.

His statement is taken very quickly, and despite the conversation between him and the officer, Naruto does not wake up once. The sight of the policeman's document reminds him of the work he is supposed to be doing in the morning, but that is a lost cause; he is going to have to make up some kind of excuse. His father would tear the city apart if he caught wind of what happened to his son, even if it is for a low-class thief.

The questioning lasts for about fifteen minutes before the officer leaves, bidding Sasuke a safe recovery and a promise of quickly catching the culprit. It is the click of the shutting door which stirs Naruto a little bit. It is about time for the idiot to wake up, because Sasuke's legs are rather numb.

"Naruto."

A grumble. Sasuke sighs.

"Idiot."

"Don't call me that," the blond murmurs, shifting his head to cuddle further into the bed.

"I cannot feel my legs."

"Too bad," Naruto says. "Take it as revenge for making me lose my job."

"You've already had your revenge by saying all of those things to my family. You will get off."

"I bet you want me to get off, wouldn't you _Sasuke?_"

The statement and its seductive tone catch Sasuke off guard for a moment. He knows it is a joke, but the thought of getting Naruto off…?

He does not know much about pleasuring a man, but the idea of Naruto in that position is an appealing one. Sasuke does not think about sex much despite it being a pleasurable thing to do; Sakura was always a good partner and participated to the best she allowed herself to. However, there were some things which she just did not do – fellatio was the primary example, and as a result, Sasuke never returned the favor.

But in regards to Naruto…it seems much different. Despite their recently blossomed 'friendship', he gets the impression Naruto is a _huge _contrast to Sakura. He seemed so cocky when talking about his ex…Sasuke can only imagine Naruto's explorations. He bets the blond would tease him by slowly lowering his head, breathing hotly over his manhood-

-or maybe he would allow Sasuke to pull his hair, as his mouth covers Sasuke completely. It would be wet and warm, and it would be something _entirely_different from what Sasuke is used to.

Naruto could do those taboo things, and he would look beautiful doing it too.

"Sasuke?"

His imagination immediately stops its conjuring, leaving him slightly disorientated and sexually aroused. The drugs are getting to Sasuke – this is _not_normal of him.

It is good this does not happen too often, mainly because Sasuke has no experience with another man. Besides, Naruto has made it painfully clear – _just_friends.

"Sasuke?"

"What?" Sasuke mutters out, slightly annoyed. Before Naruto can reply, a brief knock sounds on the door and then Naruto's brunet friend walks in. He stares at Naruto for a moment before a large grin spreads on his face.

"Naruto, you look like his grieving lover. I guess the nurse was right when she said Sasuke's boyfriend was the only one in here."

"Damn it, I'm never lying again," the blond grumbles, his head now lifting from its position. The younger Uchiha lets out a small breath; now the blood is rushing back to his legs, and the sensation is more than uncomfortable.

"Didn't know you all were fucking, damn," Kiba states, his grin becoming even wider. "Good job, Naruto."

"Sasuke, I apologize for my friend being such an idiot," Naruto mutters. Sasuke cannot stop the words from flowing from his mouth:

"I already knew this."

Kiba's grin immediately fades from Sasuke's comment, instead to be replaced by a scowl. This makes Naruto laugh, to which the brunet frowns even deeper.

"Can he even leave yet?" Kiba asks.

"I'll go find the doctor and figure that out. I'm pretty sure he can. He only has stitches; he just has to be careful about it," Naruto replies, making sure to emphasize 'be careful'. Sasuke scoffs.

With that comment, Naruto departs from the room, leaving the two other males to stare at one another. Sasuke would rather have the other man leave him in peace; he seems more obnoxious than Naruto, and _that_is something Sasuke does not want to experience.

Of course, Sasuke is not so lucky; Kiba is very obviously analyzing him, his gaze becoming very awkward.

The younger Uchiha must say politely:

"May I help you?"

"You should've heard Naruto on the phone," the brunet says randomly, his arms crossing over his chest. "For a guy who treats him like shit, he really was freaking out. Are you two secretly dating? It probably wouldn't surprise me since he's been single for who knows how long…he's too sentimental for any kind of guy…"

While Sasuke expects Kiba to stop talking, the brunet keeps murmuring to himself about Naruto's relationship status. After a few moments of this, Kiba annoyingly huffs and glares at Sasuke.

"I'm trying to hint something at you."

The younger Uchiha raises an eyebrow. "Are you?"

"Naruto needs a boyfriend, you dumbass. I can't even get intimate with my girlfriend anymore without him throwing a fit. You're the only person who he is making an effort to hang out with, so do _something_to him at least."

Sasuke wonders if Kiba is aware of the incident at Naruto's job, because he doubts the brunet would find Sasuke so appealing if that was known. He really is not keen on explaining that whole fiasco, and besides, it is slightly encouraging to hear one of the blond's closest friends urge the two to get together.

Unfortunately, Naruto himself is the main issue.

"You are assuming I'm homosexual," Sasuke replies, causing Kiba to laugh.

"Come on. Naruto told me how you seemed to be using your girlfriend for a cover. Plus, I've got a pretty good gay sensor. Why don't we talk about the real issue, like why you aren't banging him yet?"

Sasuke must admit, this Kiba has some immense guts to even approach him like this. He must be very ambitious, or maybe just entirely stupid. Sasuke is leaning more toward the latter.

"That is none of your business."

"Ouch," Kiba hisses, placing his hand over his heart. "An answer like that means you were put in the friend zone. You know, it's never impossible. You seem to have already gotten his attention and you're definitely his type. Whatever past you two have, just treat him nicely and don't rush the intimacy. You'll have him wrapped around your finger."

"How do you know I won't use him?"

Kiba smirks. "Trust me, he will not put out for some time. Anyone looking for a quickie knows that Naruto is not the person to do it with. As long as you're content with that idea and you are interested, I'd say go for it."

The brunet's words are very motivating – enough to the point where Sasuke is beginning to get his hopes up again. He should truly move on and completely discard any thought of a romantic relationship with the blond, but with Naruto's best friend encouraging him…

He can respect Naruto's wishes of friendship, but could Naruto come to him? Highly unlikely, but the persistent hope is there.

Speaking of which, he can hear the other male's voice outside the door, already returning from his trip with the doctor. Despite Kiba's unappealing personality, he surely has helped Sasuke somewhat. There truly is not anyone more appealing than Naruto at this point in time, and besides, it seems hard to compare _anyone_to him. It is a slight shame that the brunet is offering his friend up for selfish reasons, but luckily, that person in mind is Sasuke. He is not keen on hurting the blond once more.

Hopefully, Kiba is right.

X X X

"How are the stitches?"

The younger Uchiha glances at the blond, the other male's eyes closed and hands folded behind his head. He looks content to be outside, his body sprawled on the grass with the sun bathing his skin. Sasuke is not one with nature like Naruto is, for he sits under the shade of a large tree.

It is the blond's idea to go to the park, the blue-eyed male claiming that the fresh air is much better than a stuffy house. Sasuke was let out about four days ago, and since then he has been confined to his bedroom. When Naruto heard light of that – well, here they are now.

It took some convincing to his mother, but he is outside none the less.

"They are fine. They will be out within the next two weeks."

"I still feel bad about it."

"Don't," Sasuke states, not in the mood to hear Naruto's guilt. "We are here to relax, not talk about how I got my stitches."

"Fine. Well, I talked to my grandfather today. Told him we were friends."

Sasuke remains silent. He is not much of a talker.

"He was surprised. He wondered what your family thought of you being friends with an openly gay man."

"They don't know for now," the younger Uchiha says. "But you know that."

"And you wouldn't hide it from them if they found out?" Naruto asks, his eyes opening to look at Sasuke. They look very blue today, perhaps because of the bright day outside.

"No. Being friends with you is not a crime."

The blond's face breaks out into a very stunning smile, a look of happiness completely overtaking his features. The last person Sasuke remembers making this happy is Sakura, on the day of their first year anniversary. It is more reassuring to know Naruto does not need an expensive dinner to smile so gaily.

"You admitted to being friends. We're getting somewhere," Naruto says. Sasuke mutters a small noise, although it is not in disagreement. For never having friends, Naruto could be considered his first. Sasuke does not know anyone otherwise.

After that, the two go silent again. It is the sound of approaching feet which catches the younger Uchiha's attention, his head turning to regard the sound. He is confused to see a man standing by the blond – not because he does not recognize the man, since Naruto does know a lot of people – but because of the eerie _similarities_he shares with the man. Sasuke is not very close to any of his family, but he is familiar with their facial features. This man is not his family, but he could pass for an Uchiha any day.

"Excuse me."

Naruto glances over, slightly startled by the newcomer. He sits up, little speckles of dirt still clinging to his top.

"Yes?"

"My name is Sai. I would like to sketch you."

The blond briefly looks confused before offering a small smile. "What is this for?"

"I am aware that my request sounds strange, but I have been trying to find a good subject for a recent assignment. I was walking through the park and I saw you. Could you entertain my request?"

The stranger's words follow with a smile, but the grin does not suit the man – it looks oddly fake and unappealing. Naruto does not seem to be put off by it, for he glances at Sasuke before agreeing to the stranger. Sasuke is a little perturbed their time has to be interrupted by some aspiring artist, but he is not going to vocalize his discontent; he is trying to be pleasant.

"Could you keep that position sitting up? It highlights your torso."

Sasuke can tell from Naruto's body language that the comment nerves him, but he complies none the less. The next ensuing fifteen minutes involve the Sai character sketching Naruto, leaving Sasuke to just observe. He and Naruto talk a little, but it is not anything very revealing. The younger Uchiha does not trust others as much as most people.

When Sai finishes, he wordlessly puts his pencil down, along with the sketchpad. It reveals a very well-drawn picture, not just some attempt at art. Despite his social awkwardness, this stranger did make a worthwhile drawing.

"This will do," Sai says, staring at Naruto. "If you go on a date with me, you could possibly have a copy."

Sasuke whips his head upwards. Forget the man having skill – is he _really_asking Naruto on a date right now? Is that really his intention?

Considering Naruto's pause, it seems the blond is actually entertaining the request. The thought makes Sasuke irritated.

"You don't even know me," Naruto replies, causing Sai smile awfully once more.

"I can try and know you. From sketching you these past minutes, I can already tell you are carefree and willing to put your trust into people. On a physical note, you are built very well and your face is handsome. However, the only problem I notice is your endowment. Despite the slight tightness to your pants, I see no outline of any genitalia. Therefore, I believe you to have a small penis, but that is not a necessarily very important thing."

For once in his life…

Sasuke is dumbfounded. He knows he was not pleasant to Naruto, but this is something entirely on another level.

The younger Uchiha knows Naruto is baffled as well, because his mouth drops open. Sai just sits there, silent and unapologetic for his insult.

"Are you kidding me?" the blond finally says, his eyebrows furrowing. "Who asks someone on a date and then tells them they have no penis? I'll let you know I've got one, and it's probably bigger than yours."

"We can test that theory," Sai replies, not at all affected by Naruto's anger. "Your friend may join us as well."

"It's time to go," Naruto states, standing from his position on the ground. He grabs for Sasuke's hand, almost dragging the darker-haired of the two across the park. To Sasuke's relief, Sai does not follow. The blond would probably murder the stranger before he even comes close.

When they find a spot, Naruto drops to the ground, an obviously angry expression on his face.

"That's why I haven't been on a date recently; everyone is crazy," the blond states. He takes in a small breath before continuing: "I might be single the rest of my life."

Sasuke cannot help the annoyance bubbling in his chest – Naruto does not need to be single for the rest of his life, not if Sasuke is _right beside him_– but he does not lash it out. That will drive Naruto away.

The darker-haired of the pair almost lets out a cynical chuckle; he was the one who was so used to being chased, always being adored by everyone…now _he_ is the chaser. This is the most uncomfortable situation he has been in for years.

"Hey Sasuke…"

The younger Uchiha makes a slight noise, indicating he hears the blond.

"When your stitches heal, think we could go for a drive? I remember you saying that to me once."

Sasuke's eyebrows furrow. He does not remember saying that.

Seeming to read his companion's thoughts, Naruto says: "It was when we were walking back from the karaoke bar. You were a little intoxicated, so you probably don't remember."

"What else did I say?"

The blond shrugs. "You told me you liked reading and going for drives. You also hit on me a little, but who doesn't when they have a little alcohol?"

Somehow, the thought of his mouth being loose does not surprise Sasuke. He does it when he is overly emotional, and alcohol tends to generally lower inhibitions, anyway. Considering Naruto's nonchalance about Sasuke's behavior that night, it seems that the younger Uchiha did not push his boundaries.

Even so, this does not make his actions acceptable. He does not want to continue the conversation any longer.

"Well then, we will go on a drive."

Naruto offers a brilliant smile as a response, causing Sasuke's chest to clench. His first homosexual attraction and he is affected to a degree he never would have expected. Sasuke is already annoyed by other males approaching Naruto, despite there being no attraction from the blond whatsoever.

Sasuke looks to the ground, pondering to himself of how things have changed. He has become illogical and more caring since he has met and developed a relationship with Naruto. The blond has changed everything; Sasuke's seemingly perfect world, vanished - his sexuality, evaluated – and his feelings, increased tenfold.

Everything is changing, but somehow, he is less wary of it than he was in the school. However, he will never be scared.

He may have changed, but he is still _Uchiha Sasuke._

X X X

"Sasuke, slow down!"

Despite Naruto's desperate tone, Sasuke shifts his gear and presses even harder on the accelerator pedal. The blond yells in response, while Kiba maniacally laughs in the background.

"You're going to get arrested!"

"In the middle of nowhere?" Kiba says to Naruto, completely calm despite Sasuke's very high speed driving. "Alright, pansy. Sasuke, just slow down."

The younger Uchiha obeys, although not due to Kiba's request; Naruto looks like he is about to urinate on himself. It all started with them casually driving down the rarely used road, on their way to drop Kiba off to one of Hinata's (or, more accurately, Hinata's father's) private homes. Originally, Sasuke and Naruto were supposed to go out tonight, but Kiba's car is in the shop. He did not want to bail on he and Hinata's plans on staying there for a weekend, so after insistent begging from Naruto, Sasuke found himself as a chauffeur.

Sasuke tends to go fast, and with Kiba blabbering in Sasuke's ear about him being afraid to go even faster, there started an immature desire to prove the brunet wrong. Sasuke hoped the blond would be impressed by his lack of fear – after all, he has been told Naruto likes amusement parks a lot – but obviously that has not worked. Now Naruto looks like he is on the verge of throwing up.

"Why did you even listen to Kiba?" the blond groans pathetically. "You two aren't even friends."

"Just wanted to see how fast this fancy-ass car goes," Kiba replies. "I guess Sasuke isn't scared by high speeds. It probably shortened the trip by five minutes, cause we're almost there."

Kiba's estimation ends up being incorrect; in fact, the three arrive at the lavish home in a couple minutes less. They eventually come to a stop, making Naruto sigh in relief. As Kiba leaves the car, he smirks at Naruto:

"Grow some balls. Your boyfriend has a nice car, so you should enjoy it at its fullest potential."

"Not my boyfriend, you asshole," Naruto replies, although he does not sound angry. He must be used to Kiba's teasing – or, maybe it is because the whole thing started because of Naruto's mistake. The 'boyfriend' label began a month ago when Sasuke was in the hospital and the nurse referred to Naruto as his partner. Kiba could not get it out of his head since.

Or perhaps, unbeknownst to Naruto, Kiba's teasing is an effort of still trying to push the two together. Sasuke has not forgotten the brunet's words while the two were alone in that hospital room. Things have not changed much since his attack a month ago, and while it is not surprising, it is still disappointing. Sasuke and Naruto have gone out, sometimes to the park or to a random bar, but the overhang of 'friends' is still there.

_Friends._Sasuke is starting to hate the word, although he tells himself he is used to it.

"Naruto, come _on._He's your best candidate."

The younger Uchiha wishes Kiba would shut up about it.

"Sasuke, we're leaving," the blond states, now pointedly ignoring the brunet. Sasuke lets Kiba get the rest of his things before pulling off, watching in his rear mirror as Kiba makes sexual motions with his tongue, knowing that both of them are watching. The brunet is really trying too hard to push the two together.

Idly, the younger Uchiha wonders how Hinata can handle his behavior. She seems very refined and polite, while the brunet acts more like a thirteen-year-old.

As Kiba's figure eventually disappears out of sight, the hum of the car's engine is the only noise heard. They sit in silence for about ten minutes, Sasuke completely content with barely any sound at all. Kiba and Naruto have been talking nonstop the trip here, so now he finally achieves peace of mind.

Of course, this does not last long.

"He's an ass, sorry."

"I am used to him mentioning we should be a couple," Sasuke replies, thinking nothing more of it. "Your reaction gives him more incentive to do it."

Naruto becomes silent, luring Sasuke into thinking the car will be quiet. Again, this does not last, as Naruto pipes up suddenly:

"Do you believe we should be a couple?"

Sasuke almost slams on the brakes in surprise. In the month after his leave from the hospital, the blond has never once mentioned or entertained the idea of them as romantic. Sasuke still struggles with the thought every day, although it has gotten better; there have been no Sai incidents, or for that matter, no events with other males at all.

In fact, they have minimally mentioned Sasuke's attraction. It has been bearable not to.

"Sasuke?"

"You know how I feel," the younger Uchiha says plainly, making sure to keep his eyes ahead. He does not want to see the blond's expression.

"Does it hurt?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Sasuke replies. If he thinks about it more, he will become bitter.

For once, Naruto does not press the subject and the ride is once again quiet. However, this time, the silence does not sit well with Sasuke; there is now an awkward tension, marked by the blond's fidgeting and refusal to meet Sasuke's eyes. The younger Uchiha deals with it for about two minutes before he becomes agitated; Naruto is not even the one struggling with unrequited feelings and he seems more affected.

When Sasuke decides to open his mouth, eager to eliminate the uncomfortable atmosphere, an odd, distinctive 'pop' echoes from outside. Naruto hears it too, for he looks out of the window to check for anything amiss.

"I think you're getting a flat."

The younger Uchiha scowls. This has to be a joke.

"Pull over."

"I know," Sasuke murmurs, hoping it is not what Naruto proclaims. They reach to a stop on the shoulder, and Sasuke quickly exits to survey any damage. His side looks fine, but when he approaches the opposite, his worst fear is confirmed: the back right tire is quickly losing air, and he has no replacement to fix the problem.

This is a nightmare.

"Sasuke?"

The blond leaves the car, making his way to Sasuke's form.

"It's popped."

"Probably a stray glass bottle or something. It must have been serious to make it deflate so fast," Naruto says, kneeling down to inspect the now ruined tire. "I'm guessing you have no spares."

"I'll get Itachi to come," Sasuke mutters, deeply agitated by this sudden inconvenience. "It looks like we won't be doing anything tonight."

"I kind of thought we could just go to my place when we dropped him off. We can always go out another night," Naruto says. "At this rate, I'm not sure that'll happen."

Sasuke does not say anything, but he completely agrees. Who knows how long they will be on this road, and considering that it is completely deserted, no one could offer them help in the meantime. He calls Itachi, relieved his brother is available and will be able to pick them up within the next hour.

Unfortunately, the wait goes by slowly. In fact, a half an hour passes with no single car in sight. He and Naruto talk a little, but it is nothing very important; the blond mostly talks about college and Moegi. At one point he starts to talk about Kiba and Hinata's relationship, but his tone is slightly bitter while doing so; he mostly complains about Kiba during sex. Sasuke listens wordlessly, but he thinks to himself maybe Naruto's brunet friend is right – that Naruto really needs to find himself a lover. Envy is not a very appealing quality.

"Maybe one day I'll find that person," the blond says, looking up at the sky. It is a combination of shades of purple and orange, creating a rather beautiful image of sunset. It could potentially be a romantic setting.

When has he become such a sap?

"Sasuke…I'm serious about earlier. Do you hurt because of me?"

Not this again. The younger Uchiha expresses no emotion, but the inside of his chest clenches a little. At this rate, with the blond shoving his failures in his face, Sasuke is going to end up pushing himself away.

"Sasuke?"

"What do you want me to say to you, Naruto?"

The blond momentarily looks taken aback, but he stands his ground. "The truth."

Sasuke does not speak for several moments. When the blond begins to fidget, highly anticipating an answer, Sasuke snaps.

"It's annoying to hear you talk about wanting to find that person when I see myself as eligible. It isn't high school anymore, where I found myself worrying about Sakura and my family."

Naruto is silent. The younger Uchiha presses on.

"As every day passes, I care less about those things. Yes, I want to maintain a good image with my family, and if anything happened with you – because I will never look at other men – I know my mother and Itachi would be fine. I know I can take care of you. If you're worried about intimacy, forget about it; if sex comes, it will come. But you want to be _friends,_so I don't mention these things. For some utterly _stupid_ reason, I'd rather have you as that than nothing."

By the time Sasuke finishes, he huffs a little bit. Itachi better be here soon, so he can go home and forget this conversation even exists. They can move on and be fine tomorrow.

"Sasuke…"

Sasuke frowns. "Don't pity me. We tried the dating, but for you, it didn't work. So we are going to be friends, and you're not going to ask me a question like that again. I'm handling it."

The younger Uchiha leans against his car, somehow feeling oddly drained. He is not a very emotional person, so letting out any feelings can be a tedious task. Usually he does not care enough to say such things, but then again, this is _Naruto…_

"You've changed."

Naruto faces him, eyes oddly serious.

"You're still a bastard, but you've got more of a heart now. I would've liked this version of Sasuke in school."

"You had Itachi instead," Sasuke comments, slightly angry. The blond shrugs and lets out a small chuckle, completely unperturbed by Sasuke's statement. Well, it is comforting to know Naruto can look back on those days and laugh – the younger Uchiha still feels a degree of disgust knowing that his brother wanted to be with the blond sexually.

"Yeah…when I told my friend that story, he said I have no type of honor whatsoever since I was kind of involved with you both. He helped provide me the option with being friends, but it really doesn't settle well, now that I see how much it affects you."

A sense of foreboding blossoms in Sasuke's chest; does this imply Naruto is going to leave him? Sasuke should have never said anything. This is exactly what he deserves for being open about his emotions.

"Sasuke…"

"Don't leave," the younger Uchiha states, suddenly desperate. The blond bites his lip.

"Sasuke…remember when I said I'd call you, and I never did?"

The abrupt change in subject startles him, but Sasuke plays along with it. He wishes Naruto would just give him a straight answer…

"Yes."

"I'm sorry about that." Naruto continues. "Can I still call you for a second date sometime?"

Sasuke stands frozen. Typically, he would love to hear such words from his romantic interest-

-but instead, he is completely _infuriated,_enough to lose control and swing for Naruto's face with no warning at all. To his surprise, Naruto is able to avoid the blow and is quick to return with a punch of his own, which hits Sasuke right in his left temple. The younger Uchiha staggers, but he is not completely winded; he follows through by slamming the blond into his car, not in the least concerned about potentially damaging his car.

"What is wrong with you?!" the blond yells at him, trapped between the luxurious vehicle and Sasuke's shaking body.

"What is wrong with _you?_" Sasuke snarls. "I told you I want no _pity._Don't suddenly decide you want me because I told you how I feel. If you want to be friends, fine – but don't drag me along because I want you."

"Before you go all fucking nuts on me, why don't you listen to me?" With that sentence, Naruto pushes Sasuke off of him and reverses their positions, pushing the younger Uchiha against the car with no remorse of how uncomfortable it may be.

"Sasuke, I want to be friends. But after this month, it's fucking impossible to be just friends without something else being there too. I don't know what that something else is, but it's more than what normal friends feel. I thought a friendship would work, but when that fucking stranger _hurt_you I almost lost it."

Naruto pauses, his eyes glazing with sadness. What Naruto is saying is true, not hashed up lies. The blond must have been concerned.

"I stayed there all night with you. I know it wasn't my fault, but I can't help but feel guilty."

"Thank you. You didn't have to," Sasuke murmurs quietly. The words taste foreign on his tongue.

However, this sign of gratitude has the blond smiling. "I didn't have to, but I did. Look at you now Sasuke; in the past, you would've just brushed me off. Maybe some of these things happen for the better."

Naruto licks his lips, pausing before he continues. "I don't know if you realize it or not, but when I didn't call you back after that first date, you've changed. I like this Sasuke, not the one who is always bitter about life. You respect me now. I don't mean to switch back and forth with friends and more than friends – _trust me,_I don't – but I don't want you hurting and I feel like you could be there. We're more than friends, but we're not lovers. I don't know what it is."

Sasuke remains quiet. The blond's words seem like something out of a dream. He could have never imagined Naruto feeling this way, since the blond has treated him the exact same. Has he not been perceptive?

Naruto breaks the silence with a nervous chuckle.

"This is so weird, you know? Maybe it's Kiba too. He always talks about us like that, that it's kind of hard not to wonder what it would be like. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, as long as you prove to me it wouldn't be. I've never wanted a romantic relationship with you, mainly because you're so into yourself. Shit, you just tried to knock me out, but I understand why. I don't like pity either, so don't think I pity you. I'm just trying to get to know the new you. I trust you more now than I ever have before, and I know you'll take it slow for me if you really care about me."

Despite Naruto's words, Sasuke somehow thinks this is all a fantasy – of all the time they've known one another, of pursuing Naruto in high school and even doing so now, the blond _now_feels comfortable to try something more? Even though Sasuke gets the impression this will go at a very slow pace, Naruto is right; Sasuke will do it, because somewhere along the road –

-_he really cares about Naruto._

"Are you okay?" the blond murmurs with concern, peering into Sasuke's eyes. Licking his lips, the younger Uchiha nods.

"I don't understand. You've never wanted me in that sense; why now?"

Naruto laughs. "How would anyone want you in the past, especially me? You wanted me, but you were willing to juggle two partners. You were so caught up in yourself that you neglected how other people may have felt. I might have put you into your place a little bit, but it was for the better. Now it's more comfortable for me, Sasuke; you don't pressure or rush me. You like me, I know that, but you don't bother me about it. That respect goes a long way, and it changes some things."

Sasuke frowns. He knows he has changed somewhat, but Naruto is portraying his teenage self as a little brat. That does not settle well with him, but it is in the past.

"You're forgiving," the younger Uchiha says after several moments. The blond shrugs.

"People change. I'm willing to wait, I guess. But Sasuke, this doesn't mean we can suddenly hold hands and all that stuff; _slow,_remember?"

Sasuke's eyebrow rises. "So, what would you call this then?"

Naruto makes a small noise of contemplation, now releasing his hold on Sasuke against the car.

"Not boyfriends, but not friends, either. Something in the middle. Why do you need to label it? Let's just go with it. When I'm ready, we can go out - seriously this time."

Sasuke only nods. This is progress, and something which Sasuke would not have anticipated any time soon. Naruto has been so adamant on being just friends, and to some degree, they still are; Naruto is not suddenly going to be affectionate with him, or treat him like a boyfriend. Bemusedly, the younger Uchiha realizes the blond is taking control of this relationship – but Sasuke is oddly okay with that. He could have never imagined this opportunity arriving right now and he is not keen on throwing it away.

This really happened fast.

"So when is Itachi going to get here?" Naruto whines, standing next to Sasuke and leaning against the car. In that moment, they both reach a comfortable level – and Sasuke has never felt so relaxed in his life. Naruto means it now; Naruto really is going to start looking at him.

The sky is losing its orange now, and the stars are becoming visible. It feels good to look at them, with Naruto's presence so close by.

Sasuke doesn't know when Itachi will arrive, but that is fine. He feels like he and Naruto need this time, isolated from everything else to mull over their relationship.

Itachi can take his time.


	10. Chapter Ten

**Author Notes:** Thank you to everyone who reviewed and for the people who are continuing to stick with me despite my delayed updates. You all are the best. I really want to finish this story, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. We all have enjoyed the strong Naruto, but unfortunately (I hope no one is mad at me for this), he is going through a lot in this chapter, something probably way different from what you are used to. This one also might be a little slow, but their relationship does need to grow.

**Disclaimer:** The series _Naruto _does not belong to me – rather, to Masashi Kishimoto. All of the characters, name settings, etc. (unless mentioned or recognized otherwise) belong to him, not me.

**Summary:** Uchiha Sasuke has everything – the perfect status, the perfect girlfriend and the perfect image. However, like most seemingly perfect things, they do not last long. This is a story of how one Uzumaki Naruto can ruin it all. –SasuNaru- Other couples include: SasuSaku, ItaNaru, KibaHina, mentioned GaaNaru, ItaDei

**Specifies Scene Change: **X X X

**PERFECT**

X X X

_-Naruto-_

When Naruto told Sasuke they would go out when he is ready, he never expected it to be so soon.

Soon, as in two days after soon – and _Naruto_decided it, not Sasuke. Now, he is standing in his bedroom, looking at himself in the mirror with his clothes thrown haphazardly around the room.

"I really don't know what to wear-"

"Shit Naruto, please, _shut the fuck up."_

Scowling, the blond throws a discarded shirt toward his roommate, feeling satisfaction as it hits its target. Kiba sputters and throws the clothing off of him, giving Naruto a glare.

"He's not going to care if it's a red shirt or a blue shirt," the brunet says, his voice irritated. "So just _choose_ something, because you've been debating this for over fifteen minutes! Hinata gets ready faster than you!"

Naruto grumbles, annoyed by Kiba's words. The blond did not take this long in that first date with Sasuke, but this time around, this second date feels more real. Dare he say it, but Naruto has some type of excitement and feelings about going out tonight.

He _really_is becoming very attracted to Sasuke. That night at the bar really enlightened him of how _fast_he could lose him.

All Sasuke had to do was be genuine, patient and actually care about what Naruto wants; now, look where it has left the blond – Naruto is in an uncertain place between being friends and boyfriends. He is somewhat disgusted with himself, realizing that he may be _falling_for the younger Uchiha all because of Sasuke's newfound maturity and willingness to care.

He cannot judge Sasuke anymore based on the past; he has changed to a degree that his past means nothing anymore. This is all so different from their high school days, and Naruto is not sure if he should be excited or scared.

"Just do the blue," Kiba says suddenly, snapping Naruto out of his thoughts. "It goes with your eyes or some other fancy shit like that."

"How does Hinata even like you?" the blond asks, taking his friend's advice and slipping on the long-sleeve, blue button-up. "Sometimes you're really an asshole."

"Only to you, because I know you can take it."

Finished with dressing himself, Naruto regards himself in the mirror. The shirt he wears is the same color as his eyes, and it does in fact bring out his blue hues. Paired with dark jeans, Naruto likes to think he looks more than acceptable. He does not even know where they are going tonight, but wherever there destination is, Sasuke insisted on picking Naruto up.

Naruto sprays a small burst of cologne on himself as a finishing touch. Kiba rolls his eyes.

"Whipped."

"We're not even together," the blond remarks, slightly offended. "Look, I can't smell good? It's not like I'm going to instantly drop my underwear for him. Whatever is going on between us, I'm _not_one of his crazy followers from high school. I just want to make a good impression."

"I call it whipped," Kiba replies, snickering. "You didn't care about impressions before. You really are trying with him, aren't you?"

"Yeah I'm trying – but, you know as well as I do that I'll call Sasuke out on his shit if he's a jerk," Naruto replies, smirking at Kiba. The brunet nods.

"Won't be long before you will be calling out something else with him…"

A set of knocks on the apartment door is the only thing which prevents Naruto from busting his friend's lip open.

"Go ahead, have some fun. Keep the naughty stuff at his house," Kiba remarks, dismissing his roommate. Naruto rolls his eyes.

"If something more was going to happen, I'd make sure to do it here as revenge. Every time you have sex I hear it."

"Go to his house, seriously. Get the fuck out Naruto," Kiba says. Grabbing his wallet, Naruto jogs out of his room to answer the door. He opens it, revealing Sasuke in similar attire as he – jeans, but a dark shirt instead – along with a scent of very masculine cologne. The blond shuts his door behind him, knowing that if Sasuke even steps in his apartment, Kiba will harass him.

Looking at his date for the night, Naruto wonders if there is ever a day where Sasuke will look hideous for once. Naruto knows his worst is right in the morning, when he has dried drool on his cheek and very unpleasant breath. Sasuke probably looks like a prince then, too.

"I planned on eating and then taking you for a drive outside of the city."

"Make sure your car doesn't get a flat this time, because it's kind of cold outside," Naruto jokes. However, by the look on Sasuke's face, he does not seem amused, probably because they had to wait for a very long time. On that night two days ago, they ended up stranded for about two hours because Itachi had some business to do – and by business, it probably means his boyfriend. By the time they got back, Sasuke and Naruto were too tired to even stand, ruining any ideas of hanging out.

"I now carry a spare," Sasuke says. "It won't happen again."

"Sure, if you say so," Naruto comments. "So, where are you taking me? I don't want to break my wallet."

"I paid for you last time; what makes you think I won't do it again?"

Naruto huffs. "Why do I have to be the submissive in this relationship, where you pay for me?"

Sasuke's eyebrow rises. "In this relationship? So we are together, hm?"

"Fuck you, Sasuke."

All his companion does is smirk, making Naruto scowl. No matter at what point in their dysfunctional relationship, even if they become lovers, Sasuke will always get on his nerves. He is sure the feeling is mutual.

"I'm taking you to a place a little better than our first date," Sasuke says, unlocking and entering his car. Naruto climbs into the passenger seat, a wary look on his face.

"Please tell me it's somewhere not snobby, because I really can't deal with those kinds of people."

"The worst you will probably see is a fake kind of pretentious, where they may have some wealth. However, it is nothing substantial to those with real money," Sasuke replies. His response forces Naruto to think of how separate their worlds really are; no matter what, Sasuke was born into wealth and prestige, and Naruto will never familiarize himself with that lifestyle.

It makes him wonder what his life could have been like if he had those type of funds.

"Damn, if they only knew how much money I had," Naruto says, forcing a laugh. Sasuke looks at him, a hardened emotion in his eyes.

"Does your financial situation really bother you?"

The blond shrugs. "Sometimes, but it is life. It's not like I'm living on the street."

"Hn. I'd never let you."

"And risk staying with you, where at any moment you might do some nasty things to me?"

"Only with your permission," Sasuke replies, speeding away from Naruto's complex. "Although I doubt you _won't_like it."

X X X

It turns out the restaurant he and Sasuke go to is not so bad; it is in a nice area of downtown Konoha. It is classie than the other place Sasuke took him to, but Naruto still prefers their first location. This establishment lacks the homey feel that Naruto prefers, but it is not terrible. Naruto really could not have asked for better prepared food – walking out of the restaurant, he swears he gained weight. As he relaxes in the passenger seat, Naruto is glad to be in the comfortable interior of Sasuke's car, digesting his meal.

"I feel so fat. Thanks."

Sasuke grunts in response, not saying a word. If there is one thing Naruto would like to improve about Sasuke, it is the younger Uchiha's verbal skills. During dinner, Sasuke was not terribly talkative, but Naruto did laugh a couple of times. Naruto hopes this upcoming ride will not be filled with complete silence, making him feel incredibly awkward.

Whoever said dates make hearts flutter and love spark is lying. This one is kind of awkward, probably because they both do not know how to approach one another.

"I'm driving out to the countryside," Sasuke suddenly says, drawing Naruto out of his thoughts. "It's quiet out there."

"We better talk, or I'm going to be grumpy by the time I get home," the blond warns. "So far, this date is okay. The food was really good, but something is missing."

"I'm not sweeping you off of your feet?" Sasuke questions, glancing at the blond. Naruto shrugs; he may as well be truthful.

"Not particularly, but that doesn't mean you're failing completely."

"I don't know how to approach you," the younger Uchiha states, suddenly blatantly honest. His dark eyes show nothing, but the confused tone of his voice expresses otherwise. "I'm supposed to take this slow – which I am. However, this doesn't change that I want to show you what I have to offer, and that I've wanted you. You shouldn't have told me you're willing to experiment with me again."

"Because I'm torturing you?"

"More than torturing me, idiot," Sasuke responds. "And you don't feel the least bit affected."

"I haven't had sex in years," Naruto says, a few moments after Sasuke's statement. "I feel affected, but I'm not suffering. I'm not going to spread for whoever is attractive to me. Right now, you're in that top spot, but I haven't been in a relationship for a while."

"What stops you?"

Naruto faces Sasuke, surprised to see those dark pools gazing at him intently. The blond licks his lips, unwilling to admit that he is slightly fearful of where this is going. This is why he told Sasuke that this needs to go slowly – because honestly, he is somewhat apprehensive.

Oh fuck, he is lying to himself – he is scared. Nothing holds Sasuke back now and the same goes with Naruto as well. Seriously, why _aren't_they together? Is it because of Sasuke's very traditional father? The publicity they could get? Their past? Naruto has already admitted their pasts should not affect them, now that Sasuke seems to have moved on and improved himself.

This shit is so _confusing!_

"Pull over," Naruto demands. They need to talk.

Sasuke is instantaneous: "No."

"Why not?"

"I'm on the highway. Wait until I'm not on a busy road."

"What if I told you I'm going to give you a blowjob?" Naruto questions jokingly, causing Sasuke's eyes to widen comically. The sudden expression in Sasuke's eyes is completely uncharacteristic for the normally stoic male. It makes Sasuke look stupid, and so the blond almost doubles over laughing in his seat.

"You're an idiot."

Naruto wipes at his eyes, continuing to laugh. Sasuke's reaction should not be this funny, but it has got him in complete tears. They only begin to stop as Sasuke pulls over, when Naruto realizes they are not even on the busy street anymore. In fact, they are on a very deserted road, with nothing but green hills surrounding them.

"It was just your reaction," the blond says, sucking in a breath. "Shit."

"You want to talk about taking it slow, and you mention _that."_

"Come on, it's not like you've thought about it."

Meeting Sasuke's stare, Naruto suddenly does not think this is so funny anymore. Shit.

"You have?" Naruto questions, surprised.

"Naruto, you're really naïve and stupid."

The blond frowns. "And you're an asshole."

"I've been attracted to you for years, you idiot. How would I not think about it, especially recently? Does it scare you?"

Crossing his arms, Naruto huffs. "No."

"Liar."

"No, I'm not scared!"

"Start with a kiss, then," Sasuke baits him, undoing his seatbelt and lying lax against his seat. Naruto knows this is a game, if the mischievous glint in Sasuke's eyes is anything to go by. This is something Sasuke is doing to bait him – and honestly, it is working. It reminds the blond of when they were in Sasuke's kitchen that long time ago in high school, where some way or another, the blond landed a nice smooch on his rival's lips. Then, Naruto felt in control, despite Sasuke being the one to tease him.

Now, the blond does not feel so sure.

"Go ahead, Naruto. Kiss me."

"I said slow. You aren't really respecting that, are you?" Naruto questions, somewhat agitated. As Sasuke eyes him, the blond's irritation rather rapidly becomes nervousness instead. Sasuke is not buying it and for right reasons, since it is even becoming painfully clear to Naruto as well…

…kissing really is not so bad.

He is not ready for sex – this is clear. In that case, there needs to be boundaries and slowness. But kissing…?

_How bad_is it really? He kissed Itachi very soon after getting to know him, so how can he suddenly put rules on Sasuke? He is attracted to Sasuke - that is for sure – but is that really enough to go ahead and start kissing him? Naruto knows he is not like those prissy fans of Sasuke's, but still, if he does kiss him, it feels like he would be giving in. They have been battling for so long that it seems absolutely _wrong_to let Sasuke have what he wants.

With that thought comes a realization - despite Sasuke always wanting to take control and be the best, _Naruto_has actually always called the shots. Sasuke is not forcing him to do anything now, because it has somehow become an understanding that Naruto decides how fast and where they go. In the past, Naruto would have been worried about giving in - but that Sasuke is gone, replaced by someone who is still _Sasuke_but without as much selfishness.

So what does Naruto want? Does he really want to kiss Sasuke?

"Lay back," the blond commands, making his decision as he unbuckles his seatbelt. Sasuke looks surprised.

"What?"

"You want this kiss, right? I'm going to kiss you, and you better fucking enjoy it. Don't push it, or all of this is going to end really fast."

"You said you wanted it slow. I'm not pressuring you. I _don't_want to be blamed when you regret it later."

"I won't regret it. We're still not going to hold hands, and we're not going to make this official."

"Naruto…" Sasuke takes in a deep breath, and for one of the few times Naruto has ever seen, the younger Uchiha appears undone. "Not even two days ago you wanted small steps. What do you _want?_If you're messing with me, I'm walking away and _this_isn't going to happen."

"I want to try and see how it feels to kiss you. If I feel it is fast, I'm not going to do it again until I'm ready. Kissing is a step, and maybe my feelings might be clearer afterward."

Sasuke goes silent then, leaning back in his seat with a slight stiffness in his body. Naruto looks him over, realizing that right now, he is contradicting what he said to Sasuke on that deserted road. All _that_and he is changing his mind.

"Besides, I kissed Itachi not too long after meeting him-"

"Stop thinking," the younger Uchiha commands, his tone very agitated. It must be the topic of Itachi. "I'm not my brother. You'll decide if you will like it or not."

The blond nods, leaning over so Sasuke can meet him halfway. The other male brings his head in close as well, staring at Naruto through half-lidded, sensual eyes. The blond wonders if Sasuke even knows what he is doing; their kisses have not exactly been the most romantic.

As Sasuke comes close enough, Naruto lightly presses his lips against his companion's, fully closing his eyes and allowing the sensations to fall over him. It does not disgust him, and he does not feel scared – he presses harder, tilting his head a bit to bring himself closer.

He feels the younger Uchiha grunt in his mouth, and opening his eyes, he sees Sasuke's hands clenching in his lap.

Pulling away, Naruto lets in a shaky breath before saying:

"Relax. I don't like it that you're tense."

"Naruto…" Sasuke whispers huskily, sending a shiver down the blond's spine. "I'm restraining myself."

Shit, Sasuke really _is_undone.

"What happened to the normal you, who hides everything he feels?" Naruto questions, bringing himself closer to Sasuke's face again. "Keep restraining. Lips only."

He presses against Sasuke's lips again, making sure to keep it at that. He thinks about how he allowed Itachi to kiss him, even with tongue – so he lightly nibbles Sasuke's lip, not surprised when his companion eagerly accepts the step to move forward. Sasuke wraps his tongue around Naruto's, making sure to claim it as much as he can. His tongue slides against Naruto's, along his teeth, almost down the back of his throat – Naruto has to pull away from the intensity of it all, his cheeks turning a particularly red hue.

"I thought you weren't going to go that far," the younger Uchiha comments, licking his lips. Naruto laughs.

"Well, you got a surprise."

"Yes," is Sasuke's fast reply. "All that talk about 'slow', and you kiss me like that. Hn, idiot."

The blond frowns. "Keep calling me that, you jerk! Let's see if you get one again."

Sasuke says nothing; he smirks, diving his head in to come close to Naruto again.

"I'm sure I will."

And the younger Uchiha kisses him again, pulling away just in time as Naruto moves to hit him. As Sasuke starts the car and pulls off, Naruto swears he hears him chuckle.

X X X

The next time Naruto kisses Sasuke is on their third date, at the karaoke bar where they visited previously. At first, Naruto was adverse to the idea of going there again, but Sasuke was not putting up with the blond's insecurities. When Sasuke went to drop the blond off, Naruto offered him a quick peck as a goodbye before entering his apartment.

They have hung out since then, whether at Naruto's apartment or somewhere outside. However, they never have seen Sasuke's mansion as an eligible place, mostly due to the Uchiha patriarch's foul view of the blond.

As winter's harshest comes around, and the blond's college finals close in on him, he feels less worried and occupied about his relationship with Sasuke and more concerned about his career. He has yet to find a job (besides watching Moegi), and her mother has been paying him less. Kiba cannot account for Naruto's slack, and it stresses the blond immensely.

Currently, sitting on the living room couch in the apartment, Naruto is doing his homework and browsing the newspaper for potential work. An ad catches his eye, something about basic secretarial work. Considering the pay, it is not meant to serve those with degrees, but rather attract college students looking for money or internships.

Considering he has finished classes for the day, Naruto dials the number given. It is five o'clock, but hopefully someone is still in the office.

"Uchiha Technologies, Karin speaking – how may I help you?"

Oh, fuck. Out of all places, it would be Sasuke's family's corporation. Nothing else in the paper reveals any promising careers; he does not have any particular skills, besides working at a ramen stand. He has to take his chances.

"I am Uzumaki Naruto. I was looking in the paper, and saw an ad for some work-"

"I'm sorry, sir. That position has been filled."

"Oh…well thank you. Have a nice day."

Hanging up the phone, Naruto comes to the conclusion he is going to be poor for the rest of his life. It puts him in a foul mood, so when his cell phone rings not even five minutes after the failed job call, he answers it irritably.

"What?"

"What crawled up your ass and died?" Kiba's voice echoes over the phone, seeming rather hostile. Naruto sighs.

"Job searching. It's not working."

"The effort is nice," Kiba murmurs. "Ask your boyfriend for money."

"He's not my boyfriend, stupid shit," Naruto replies. "I'm not taking anything from anyone."

"Well as long as you pay rent, I don't care where it comes from. Having a place is so tedious; I'm thinking of moving in with my mom again. I hate my job."

A knot of dread forms in Naruto's stomach, suddenly faced with the prospect of not having a roommate. Where would he go, what would he do…? His grandfather could take him in for a short period of time, but this is not preferred; his grandfather, despite being a nice man, never wanted kids in his home. When Naruto was old enough to be on his own, he was out.

Unlike Kiba, he has no place to go.

A beep on his phone makes Naruto look at the screen, surprised to see Sasuke calling him. The younger Uchiha should still be at work.

"Look Kiba, let me call you back."

The blond does not even wait for a response; he switches over, slightly happy to receive a call from Sasuke. He is stressed and he would not mind his friend distracting him for a while.

"Hey Sasuke."

"I'm coming over in ten minutes. My father is particularly angry about a potential deal falling through, and he told me to leave for the day."

His tone is commanding. He wants to say no just to annoy Sasuke, but that is probably not the best idea.

"Okay."

Sasuke hangs up afterwards, not even bothering with a goodbye. Naruto already knows he is not going to be productive when Sasuke gets here; the two are going to talk and most likely end up kissing, whether it be on the couch or Naruto's bed. They already act so much like a couple that it is disgusting.

A couple…hm…in order for that to happen, they would have to _love_each other – and honestly, for all they have been through, it seems rather unlikely. The thought makes his heart stop; he cannot be in a relationship where there is no intimacy on an emotional level. He is not in love Sasuke right now, but he is certainly on that path there if their behavior keeps up. Would Sasuke return the same sentiments? Is he even _willing_to try?

Fuck, this is why everything needs to be slow. Unfortunately, Naruto's emotions have run too _fast._

Maybe he is just panicking, especially considering the stress of his job situation and school. So distraught in his thoughts, Naruto jumps when the telltale series of Sasuke's knocks vibrate against the door.

Undoing the series of locks, the blond opens the door to welcome the younger Uchiha. He strides in easily, taking off his shoes before sitting on the couch. He eyes Naruto's work with little interest, the books sprawled around all corners of the cheap coffee table.

"Finals," Naruto explains, taking a seat next to his friend.

"And the job advertisements?"

"Job hunting, but it's unsuccessful," the blond says. "I actually called your job, since it seemed like the most likely out of all of them. Turns out it was filled."

"It is better you not work in the same building as I," Sasuke comments, his arm stretching out behind Naruto. The brush of Sasuke's fingers leaves a tingle on his shoulder, but the blond ignores it.

"Why's that?"

"Working with a romantic interest never turns out well. I view work as a time for privacy."

Nodding, Naruto inevitably agrees. Maybe it is a good thing the position was filled…

Wait, _romantic interest?_

"Sasuke, what _do_you want from us?"

The younger Uchiha's eyebrow raises, the question obviously catching him off guard.

"I want you."

"Yeah, but what from me? You know I don't want to be a secret-"

"Currently, you're making us a secret. I told you, I don't care. Idiot, you would think you'd realize this after our histories."

Naruto is silent for a moment. When he feels Sasuke shift next to him, the blond sighs.

"I feel like I'm changing. It's weird, not having that feeling where I borderline hate you. You've changed too; since we've decided to try this again, you're more confident…less angry. What happened to the emotionally stupid Sasuke in high school?"

Naruto lets in a shaky breath. "We've traded places. In the past, I was sure of what I wanted and you weren't. Now…"

"Naruto, stop thinking."

"I don't feel as strong as I did before. What the hell are we even _doing?"_

Watching as a scowl forms on Sasuke's face, Naruto considers if he said the right thing. It catches him by surprise when a hand buries itself into blond hair, pulling Naruto towards the younger Uchiha. He is surprised when Sasuke swiftly kisses him, his lips moving heatedly over Naruto's own. The only thing the blond can do is respond, his hands falling on his friend's shoulders. He squeezes them with each feeling of Sasuke's tongue caressing him, gradually losing himself in the kiss.

When the kiss ends, Sasuke stares at him, with eyes that make him want to leave the room.

"Instead of punching each other, we kiss. What would you prefer?"

"The punching," Naruto responds flatly, making Sasuke smirk. "At least I knew what I was doing."

"Why are you worrying about this? Idiot, I've known you for years and I'm pursuing you. The intensity of my previous relationship does not come anywhere close to you. Stop thinking stupid things."

Naruto frowns. "It's not stupid-"

"You're worrying over something you shouldn't," Sasuke states, his fingers sliding into Naruto's blond strands. "Stop."

For a moment, Naruto considers mentioning his thoughts of 'in love' (or lack of) between them. He decides this is a terrible idea, because they could figure that out if they become a couple. Right now, they are passionate and they care about one another - or at least Naruto does - but will they ever actually be _in love?_

Shit, why is he so _romantic?_Maybe Sasuke is right; he just needs to stop thinking and just let things be.

"So, from what I've heard from you, it seems you would prefer those times in school," Sasuke comments.

Naruto's nose crinkles in disgust. "No, because those people were terrible - but I guess my life was easier, because I didn't have to worry about paying for everything myself. It's hard to pay rent just with babysitting jobs."

Sasuke looks put off, most likely because of the knowledge that Naruto still watches the little girl who kicked him rather rudely. It makes the blond chuckle.

"You're worried about finances," the younger Uchiha states.

No use hiding it – immediately, the blond feels sour.

"Kiba mentioned moving out. I can't tell if he's serious or not, but if he is, I need a roommate – and a job. _Shit."_

"Konoha General always needs janitors," Sasuke comments, although by the way his mouth is twisted, it looks like more of a joke than anything. However, it is not a very good one; a part of Naruto is offended, wondering if Sasuke really thinks so low of him to insinuate cleaning bathrooms is the best option.

"Screw you – besides, Sakura works there. You think I want to work with your ex?"

"There's a restaurant opening I saw on my way here."

Naruto smiles, punching Sasuke in the shoulder. "That's better. You're learning."

"I don't appreciate you hitting me," Sasuke says lowly, shifting his body closer to Naruto's. Damn, he is just as bad as Itachi – while Sasuke make not necessarily like his brother much, they share some distinctive Uchiha qualities…

…like _possessiveness and sensuality,_if lips on the corner of Naruto's mouth are any indication. The blond returns the gesture with a kick to Sasuke's leg, making the younger Uchiha abruptly pull away.

Sasuke is getting _too_comfortable.

X X X

Naruto will forever be glad to Sasuke – his friend, potential boyfriend, friend with benefits, _whatever_– for mentioning that potential restaurant job the last time he was over. Naruto ended up getting a position as a waiter, but the downside is that its opening turned out to be rather busy.

He has been running around for hours, and the only thing keeping him conscious is the generous tips from the patrons. The end of his shift is nearing, and then he can hopefully go to sleep. This experience is much different from Ichiraku's stand, where a variety of people came by to eat. This place caters to the upper middle class, but it is not overwhelming. His first day is going pretty well, and he is earning a lot more in money than what he did at the ramen stand.

A party of six enters the building, and Naruto is quick to rush over. Everyone else is busy, anyway.

It is a group of females, all dressed very nicely. Naruto greets them enthusiastically, leading them to a secluded corner with a large table. Blue eyes scan each of them, getting a glance of what his patrons look like –

- and suddenly his heart plummets. His mouth suddenly goes dry as very bright green eyes stare at him, ones he never wished to see again.

"You-"

"Good evening ladies!" Naruto quickly says, interrupting the female before she can speak. A slight frown mars her lips, but Naruto pays no mind.

If he can avoid Sakura, he will.

"Drinks please?"

When each speak, the blond feels impending dread. As Sakura's turn comes, she makes sure to stare at him intensely. 'Water' is all she says, but there are so many emotions behind the word that it seems like she is actually saying 'jump off a bridge and die'. He cannot blame her – he is technically messing around with _her_ex now – although he is not sure she is aware of that. In fact, Naruto is not quite sure how much she knows, and quite frankly, he is not interested.

A janitor's position in the hospital, or meeting her here – what is the difference?

As he turns to walk away, a hand grabs at his sleeve. He immediately knows who it is.

"When does your shift end?" she whispers. Oh _no._

"I'm sorry, but that really doesn't matter-"

"It _does_matter. What time?"

"Half an hour."

With that, she lets him go, and Naruto realizes his night will probably end badly. As he runs back and forth around the restaurant, all he thinks about is his meeting with her, of how things could escalate very badly. Why in the world did he even choose to try something with Sasuke again? He knew at that time (and knows now) that there would be a lot of external factors which would make things complicated for them. Sasuke's father would be one, along with Itachi's past. Sakura is the icing on the cake.

There must be some kind of feelings for Sasuke if Naruto is going through all of this. It is that, or the blond is in over his head.

When the clock indicates it is seven thirty, Sakura's party is ready to leave – completely in sync with Naruto's scheduled end to his shift. When he gathers his belongings and makes his way to exit the building, Sakura stands at the entrance with an expectant look on her face. He lets in a deep sigh before opening the door, allowing her to go first.

They walk a little distance from the restaurant without saying a word to one another. It makes the blond anxious. Right when he opens his mouth, she speaks:

"Naruto."

Facing her, he is not surprised to see the hand coming – and he allows it, even when it makes his cheek sting terribly. When Sakura retracts her hand, her eyes are filled with so much fury that it scares him. It is one thing to face an angry Sasuke; Naruto knows how to handle him, and if worse comes to worst, they can beat the shit out of one another. With a woman - especially one who is suffering from heartbreak - things are a lot more uncertain.

When she speaks, her voice is low and angry:

"I'm really mad at Sasuke, but I think you're wrong for what you have done as well."

_Him?_Wrong? The blond frowns. He does not want to face an irate Sakura, but he will not let her step on him.

"If you were happy with a fake relationship, then I guess I'm wrong," he begins. He is going to tell her the truth, no matter how hurtful it may be. "One way or another, whether it was me or someone else, Sasuke would've realized what he wanted and he would've hurt you in the process. I'm sorry I was that person – _I'm really sorry_– but what would you have done?"

"I would've left it be," she spits at him, her fists clenching. "Your version of helping him with a bit unorthodox, wouldn't you think?"

"Sakura, Sasuke _is_unorthodox," Naruto says back. He is beginning to feel angry. "He's not that prince charming, because he's been a selfish, screwed up _asshole._Did you know that back then, he wanted to have us both? He wanted you as that pretty girlfriend, something to represent his Uchiha name. I was supposed to be in the background, where I was everything he wasn't supposed to have. He had to choose what he wanted."

"And you won?! Does that make you happy?" she asks him angrily. She looks about ready to hit him again.

"I didn't win, because he first tried to choose _you,_didn't he?"

Her anger seems to dissipate after this, her gaze turning contemplative for a moment. Naruto continues.

"You did what was right to end it with him, and I'm not saying that because I wanted him. Truthfully, at first, I wasn't interested at all. I don't like seeing women being used."

"You are confusing me, then," Sakura murmurs, eyeing him curiously. "Are you two seeing one another? If so, why would you want him, after everything he has done?"

That is the question Naruto must ponder for himself. For all of the men out there – no matter how much he has tried with some – there have got to be some who do not carry the baggage Sasuke brings. Rationally, it is always best to just walk away and find other options.

He tried this, and Sasuke has ended up reappearing. It is hard to imagine Sasuke _not_being there at this point, and besides...the Sasuke he knows now is not the Sasuke from three years ago.

"This is going to sound stupid, but I really think he's changed. It's stupid, because I've seen young girls say that all the time, but I really think he has. I know I should just forget him and I have forgotten about him – for a while. But I remember him telling me…"

There was a moment of desperation, the day they were broken down on that road, when Sasuke told him:

_Don't leave…_

"He said don't leave to me," Naruto murmurs. "I can't do that to him, and I don't want to. That's why I don't leave him, because I think he's really found something he wants."

They both become quiet afterwards, standing next to each other on the sidewalk. People pass them by, grumbling about the two standing in the middle of the sidewalk – but both male and female do not pay them mind.

Sakura is the first to speak, her voice rather shaky.

"This is selfish, but I hope Sasuke experiences the hurt I have," Sakura whispers to him. "I don't like how you interfered in our relationship, but I see why. I don't like you Naruto, but I don't hate you. Are you with him?"

Naruto licks his lips, afraid to answer - but he does, because Sakura does not deserve to be lied to or played with anymore. "I guess we are on the way to it."

The immense hurt in her eyes makes him guilty, but there is nothing he can do. She cares because she is still in love. In a perfect world, where Sasuke was not so selfish in the past, Sakura could have possibly had her ideal man - but in reality, she did not understand him, and Sasuke is not black and white.

Naruto thinks that it never could have worked, or at least in the way Sakura envisions. Sasuke could not have loved her like she wanted him to.

"Well, Naruto," she says, her voice subdued. "I wish the best for you, but hopefully we won't cross paths."

The blond winces, knowing what she really means: _You and Sasuke can be together, but I never want to see it, and I never want to see you again._

Her words leave him slightly bitter, never being the one to face the brunt of someone's despair. He wishes he could appease everyone, but for Sakura…there is just too much, and some things she will not be able to forgive.

"Will you move on?"

"Yes," she says, clutching her jacket tighter against her form. "Goodbye, then."

No more words need to be exchanged; when she leaves, her eyes are solemn. Naruto is not sure if he would rather have her sadness than her anger, but he is not allowed to dwell on it. She soon disappears from sight, quietly and without any more argument.

All of this – for _Sasuke._

Naruto has to be going crazy.


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Author Notes:** Yes, I am pretty sure you all want to shoot me. I haven't felt inspired, and then when I got inspired, my laptop broke. Go figure. Then, I went on a trip outside of my home country, so I have had little time to work. Thank you to everyone who has been reviewing and putting this story in your favorites. I hope you like it – it's always nerve-wracking to post a new chapter. I think it's mostly fluff.

**Disclaimer:** The series _Naruto _does not belong to me – rather, to Masashi Kishimoto. All of the characters, name settings, etc. (unless mentioned or recognized otherwise) belong to him, not me.

**Summary:** Uchiha Sasuke has everything – the perfect status, the perfect girlfriend and the perfect image. However, like most seemingly perfect things, they do not last long. This is a story of how one Uzumaki Naruto can ruin it all. –SasuNaru- Other couples include: SasuSaku, ItaNaru, KibaHina, mentioned GaaNaru, ItaDei

**Specifies Scene Change:** X X X

**PERFECT**

X X X

_-Sasuke-_

_"Shit, keep going__…"_

Blue eyes gaze upwards, a hint of satisfaction in their depths. Sasuke wants to scoff at the cockiness, but a particularly wet stroke of a tongue leaves him breathless. He lets his head fall back and rest against the wall, completely relishing in the attention Naruto is giving him.

Naruto's hands are clutching his thighs, and Sasuke knows that if he looks down, he will lose all of his composure instantly. He can feel the blond bobbing on him, his lips perfect around him. He knows Naruto's lips are shining with saliva and pre come, and the younger Uchiha will be damned if he completely loses it just because of how Naruto looks.

The blond squeezes Sasuke's thighs once, followed by a particularly long suck. Sasuke feels himself touch the back of Naruto's throat before the blond pulls back, lavishing all of his attention on the tip. Sasuke's hands begin to clutch and his thighs tense in preparation for his oncoming orgasm. He spreads his legs wider, ready to come completely-

-and he lets everything go, pumping his hips into the air. Moaning, Sasuke's legs tremble and his back arches. At this point, he has woken up, but all he can focus on is riding out his orgasm.

When the sexual high dissipates, leaving the uncomfortable sensation of stickiness in his underwear, Sasuke scowls. This is his first dream where he has actually woken himself up coming, and he is not sure whether to feel relaxed or self-depreciating.

The dream does not exactly surprise him; it has been approximately a month and a half since he met Naruto again after their graduation. He has had dreams before, but he never has had an orgasm from them before. This has been bound to happen sooner or later, but that does not mean Sasuke has to _like _them.

Actually, he would like them if he could actually _do_ something about them.

Looking at his clock, it reads eight seventeen in the morning. He does not really feel like getting up – the cold weather is absolutely awful – but he needs a shower. Sasuke throws the covers off of himself, glad nothing got on his sheets. He then trudges his way into the bathroom, eager to wash the semen off of himself.

When he finishes, it is about nine-o'clock; the younger Uchiha figures he could wake Naruto up. Sasuke is off today and Naruto has just finished his finals yesterday; the opportunity to have a whole day to themselves is open. Sasuke is eager to take it because free days are somewhat hard to come by. The blond will kill him for waking him up, but Sasuke figures he will get over it.

Picking his phone up, he immediately calls Naruto's number. It takes about four rings before there is grumbling into the phone.

"Morning, idiot."

"Sasuke, what the _fuck? _It is…nine in the morning."

"So?"

"I got home at four in the morning. Let me sleep."

The younger Uchiha scowls. "Four in the morning from where?"

"Some party on campus. End of finals celebration. Don't get too worried; I was a good boy. You're the only man in my life."

Sasuke cannot refrain from smirking. "Am I? Well good. I have off today, so I am heading over soon."

"I said _let me sleep,"_ he hears Naruto grumble, but the blond does not sound annoyed at all. Sasuke knows Naruto likes seeing him, no matter how much he might complain.

"I will be there in an hour."

X X X

When Sasuke arrives, Hinata is the one to open the apartment door for him. She seems awake, already fully dressed and ready to go about her day. She offers Sasuke a small yet beautiful smile and lets him in easily.

"Naruto has not gotten out of bed yet."

"He knows I was on my way," Sasuke murmurs, already heading in the direction of the blond's bedroom. Hinata lets him go, disappearing somewhere into the kitchen. When Sasuke enters Naruto's bedroom, he is not surprised to see the blond sprawled out on his back, his sheets messy around his body. Sasuke slips off his shoes, leaving them by the door before sliding into the bed with the blond.

The disturbance does not affect Naruto's sleep whatsoever. Feeling daring, the younger Uchiha slides his hand around Naruto's waist and presses himself against the blond. He relishes in the contact of his body against bare skin; it seems that the blond slept topless last night.

He lies for a couple of minutes like this, close against Naruto and breathing in the muskiness of the sheets and the other's body. Sasuke feels an odd sense of peace; the room is completely quiet, besides the occasional soft snore from the blond. He could fall asleep again.

However, he is not going to waste a precious day off by _sleeping. _Uncaring of Naruto's potentially negative reaction, the younger Uchiha pinches his friend's side_. _The blond groans as a response, but he does not wake.

Sasuke pinches again. Naruto stirs.

"Naruto."

A snore is a response. Sasuke decides he needs to take it up a notch – so he slaps the blond's side.

"What?" the blond groans out, throwing his arm over his face. "Kiba, don't wake me up."

"I would be concerned if Kiba was in your bed like this," Sasuke says, a hint of disgust in his tone. He pinches again.

"Sasuke? Shit, why did you _pinch _me?" Naruto grumbles, removing his arm. His eyes have opened, but there is a groggy and glazed look in his eyes. Sasuke muses that the blond looks rather attractive in the morning, although there are disgusting remnants of drool dried at the corners of his mouth.

"You wouldn't wake up."

Groaning, Naruto flips to his side, his back to Sasuke. "Bastard. Leave me alone."

With the expanse of flesh presented to him, the younger Uchiha runs a forefinger down the blond's spine, smirking as Naruto's back arches as a response.

"You're ballsy this morning, waking me up and touching me," the blond says, though he does not sound _too _agitated. "Any other surprises?"

Maybe it is because of the dream this morning, or the built up tension of seeing Naruto but never being able to do much with him. Regardless, Sasuke does feel _ballsy _as Naruto likes to call it.

So without any hesitation, his lips press against the nape of the blond's neck, breathing in the scent of his hair. He does not miss Naruto's sharp intake of breath; it eggs the younger Uchiha on as he slowly kisses down Naruto's spine. When he reaches the dip of Naruto's back, the blond flips over.

His eyes are completely open now.

Sasuke smirks. "I bet you liked that."

Groaning, Naruto just throws his arm over the younger Uchiha's body. It surprises Sasuke when the blond brings his body closer, not denying Sasuke's accusations at all.

"I'm too tired to care right now. But, do that again later and I'll probably punch you."

"I won't let you," Sasuke murmurs. "You enjoyed it too much."

"Making assumptions," Naruto comments. He then yawns, burying his face into the pillow underneath him. "You're going to bother me until I get up, aren't you?"

"Perceptive."

The blond groans again and he pushes Sasuke away. "Asshole. What did you want to do today, then?"

The younger Uchiha shrugs. "It is too cold to walk. I'll take you out to breakfast, then if you want, we can come back here."

On cue, the blond's stomach begins to rumble. Naruto glares down at himself, his body betraying him – Sasuke knows that the blond wants to stay in bed, but the promise of food is definitely tempting for him. It takes a few seconds for Naruto to decide, but he inevitably throws the covers off of himself. Sasuke's eyes immediately land on the spiral tattoo, admiring the layer of muscle that in underneath.

"Stop looking at me. When did you become such a pervert?"

Sasuke does not reply, scowling. He is not perverted; it has just been some time since he has done anything sexual. After his breakup with Sakura, his attention has been solely focused on Naruto. Needless to say, his sexual life is practically nonexistent.

Instead of answering Naruto, Sasuke asks a question of his own, something along the lines of his thoughts:

"When is the last time you had sex?"

Naruto responds with a stare, but Sasuke is completely serious. He honestly wonders how Naruto feels without having any; by being with Naruto, he has learned quickly that the blond does not put out very easy. While the thought is comforting – because it means that Naruto does not run around, spreading his legs for anyone – it is downright _frustrating _sometimes. He wonders if Naruto feels frustrated at all.

The blond finally manages to speak: "What?"

"The last time-"

"Why?" Naruto questions skeptically. "What is it to you?"

Sasuke glares at him. "Just answer the question."

"Not since my relationship with Gaara," Naruto responds. "That ended a couple of months before I transferred schools. I guess more than three years ago."

The response elicits a couple of emotions. One, admiration; Sasuke prides himself in being control, but the thought of such a long period of time without physical intimacy makes him cringe. This leads to two, frustration; Sasuke is a willing partner, who likes to think he has proven himself as a potential boyfriend. Yet, Naruto still denies him.

He does not only want Naruto for sex – in fact, he is aiming to make a relationship out of this. Nevertheless, sex _is _important, but Sasuke would never force Naruto…

…even though he could punch the idiot in the face for how much he is making Sasuke _wait. _

No wonder he has dreams. It should be clear to Naruto that he is obviously not going to be a passing thing to Sasuke; the younger Uchiha would not invest so much into something he would throw away carelessly. They are opposites in many things, yet the attraction still grew. Besides, even though Naruto is an idiot, he truly is not stupid; Sasuke would not have bothered with him if he was.

The blond also has more endearing qualities. Physically, Naruto's looks are more than eye-catching; he is well-above average looking, and it is not possible to just look at him once. His personality – while obnoxious – draws people toward him. He is also very determined and independent; he is not afraid to speak his mind, and while this does get annoying sometimes, Sasuke is used to people kissing up to him. Naruto is a breath of fresh air.

All of these things have made Sasuke undeniably attached. He just wishes it could be _official, _and Naruto could take the step further.

"Does that make you happier, to know my sex life?" Naruto questions, getting out of the bed and interrupting Sasuke of his musings. The younger Uchiha does not reply, making Naruto roll his eyes.

"Well, I'm going to shower. Where are we going? How much money will I need to pay for my breakfast?"

"I'll cover you."

"I can take care of myself-"

"Shut up, Naruto."

X X X

Sasuke drives them to a café somewhere near their old high school. He personally has never been there before, but his mother mentioned it having very good service and food. If his mother thinks it is good – well, Sasuke believes it.

Unfortunately, Sasuke's mother is not the only one who thinks it is good; the parking lot is almost full and he can see people bustling around through the glass windows of the establishment. Sasuke is not the type to be around large crowds of people.

"There's a space right there," Naruto says, pointing to a spot not too far from the entrance.

"We can go somewhere else. It's busy."

"Get over yourself, it's fine," the blond comments. "Learn to be social, just this once. I'm too hungry to go driving around for a suitable place."

Inwardly, Sasuke is annoyed, but he does not argue. He parks his car and they enter together, noting the bustle of the place. Naruto sets his jacket down on an empty table, reserving their spot. They wait in line together to order their food, and to Sasuke's pleasure, the wait goes by rather fast. It is not even ten minutes before they are seated at their table, waiting for their orders to be ready.

They sit in silence for a couple of minutes, although Sasuke is comfortable with it. He is not very talkative in the first place. However, as always, the blond begins to talk first:

"Sasuke, can I ask you a question?"

The younger Uchiha looks at the blond, surprised to see seriousness there. Naruto does not even wait for a response.

"Why did you ask me when was the last time I had sex?"

Sasuke lifts an eyebrow. Truthfully, he is slightly surprised by the question. Naruto asked him earlier, but he did not make much out of it.

"Sasuke?"

"I was curious," the younger Uchiha replies. Naruto looks skeptical.

"Really? That's it?"

"That is all."

"No it's not," Naruto states, leaning in closer from across the table. "Tell me."

At first, Sasuke says nothing. That causes Naruto to repeat the question – over and over actually, in a rather irritating voice. By the eighth time he asks, Sasuke begins to rub his temple and replies curtly:

"I was wondering if you were ever bothered by not having sex. Are you happy now?"

Naruto freezes. Sasuke's answer must have caught him off guard, but Sasuke does not dwell on the fact; at least Naruto is not _bugging _him anymore.

"Is that what you think about? How we don't have sex? That's what's important to you?"

Naruto's words almost come out as a growl. Oh no – the blond is _not _going that route. Sasuke knows an impending argument when he sees one, and right now, Naruto looks like he is about to bust a fuse and start yelling. Considering that they are in a public place, Sasuke does not want them yelling at each other.

"Naruto, it was just a question."

"It really bothers you that much that we aren't?" the blond asks, subtle anger in his tone. "Are you serious-"

Naruto is interrupted by the call of their order number. Sasuke takes the exit with no hesitation.

"I'm going to get the food. Why don't you calm down and just _think _for a second while I'm gone?"

To Sasuke's displeasure, by the time he gets back and sets all of their food down, Naruto has not calmed down. In fact, he seems even angrier than before; his eyebrows are furrowed and he is frowning. Sasuke _hates _it when Naruto is mad like this; annoying the idiot is one thing, and it provides good entertainment. However, when Naruto is mad, it leads to bad things. Sasuke remembers those blows they have exchanged in the past, and he is not inclined to repeat them.

"If you just want sex-"

Oh that is _it._

"Naruto, just _shut up," _Sasuke hisses. "It has been a month and a half since I've met you again – a _month and a half. _If I just wanted sex, I would have left you behind. _Left you. _What will it take?"

Sasuke draws in a sharp breath. He is about to blow through the roof. "I'll say it out loud for you. I want to be _with _you, if that isn't obvious. I want to be your boyfriend, and I want you to be mine. I'm risking everything – my name, my reputation – for you, and you're saying I just want _sex? _Yes, I want it – I want to do things to you that I have denied myself in the past, and I'm frustrated that I can't touch you like I want to. However, all the physical things are not more important than _you _as a person_._"

Naruto does not say a word. Sasuke scowls, clearly angry.

"Now that I've poured out my thoughts to you like a fucking teenage girl in a romance movie, would you _please_ _shut up _about it? I'm _hungry _and I'm going to eat."

By the time Sasuke is finished his rant, he feels like he may have said too much. Naruto has this tendency to bring out a part of him that should be buried very deep. The only other person to get close to making him snap is Itachi.

A few seconds pass and then Sasuke begins to eat. He _really _is hungry.

"I acted like a bitch, didn't I?" Naruto mutters, staring down at his food. Sasuke offers Naruto a look, one that clearly says 'No shit'.

Naruto frowns. "Look, it's just that-"

"Stop being insecure. The Naruto I want is not insecure; you've been with me long enough to know I'm telling the truth. In fact, I'm surprised you didn't hit me when I agreed you acted like a bitch."

On cue, Naruto fists his hand in Sasuke's shirt and pulls him close. Sasuke immediately regrets his words; he should not have opened his mouth.

However, instead of hitting him like Sasuke braces himself for, the younger Uchiha's eyes widen as Naruto smashes his lips against his, not in the least concerned of the patrons around him. In fact, Sasuke hears the nearby tables go quiet, but the fact that Naruto has initiated a kiss leaves him frozen.

When the blond pulls back, he lets go of Sasuke's shirt and leans back in his seat.

"You're right. I'm not insecure. Yes, I do get bothered that I don't have sex, but I want to know that what we have is worth it before just giving myself up."

Sasuke licks his lips. He does not disagree with Naruto's logic; the blond is just that kind of person with morals like that.

"You want to be my boyfriend?" Naruto asks, raking his fingers through his hair. Sasuke responds with a slight nod, and then a small awkward silence falls upon the table.

It takes a few moments, but Naruto does respond. The younger Uchiha's heart beats a little faster when he sees the beginning of a smile on Naruto's face.

"Shit." The blond pauses, his expression content. "You know what? Yeah, I'd like it too."

Sasuke blinks. Naruto bites his lip.

"You know? Like to be your boyfriend. Let's do it. We've been through a lot, and you're still a bastard. But you've been patient, and we've got something going."

Naruto then licks his lips, a little nervous. "This kind of came out of nowhere, didn't it? But what you just said…I don't know, everything just hit me now. Shit, you just said I'm important to you. I know that you don't just say shit like that. You know what, I'm rambling a little…"

Then with a sigh, the blond says: "You've convinced me, bastard. I like you too. But Sasuke, know that I don't want this relationship to be a passing thing. My romantic relationships aren't just surface level, okay?"

As Sasuke sits silently at the table, he registers a multitude of things. One – Naruto _wants _him.

_Wants him._

He wants him enough to agree to be a part of a relationship. The thought leaves Sasuke in disbelief.

The second thing is with that relationship, Sasuke sees he has to take on something even bigger. If Naruto means his romantic relationships are not just surface level, that translates to somewhere along the way, that four letter word is going to come up. Right now, Sasuke is not comfortable saying it, not when they have not had to chance to develop romantically as a couple.

If he says that word with Naruto, Sasuke knows he is going to have to mean it.

But right now, forget about that. Right now, he has to make sure…

"Did you just agree to be with me?"

Naruto shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly, but he has a teasing smile is on his face. "Maybe. I said I liked you too, so figure it out."

Fucking _shit._

Sasuke could just throw Naruto on the table right now and kiss him until he is breathless. He has waited and finally, _finally _his work has paid off. However, instead of giving into the urge, he calmly continues to eat.

The blond chuckles.

"You look like you could jump me."

"After we eat," Sasuke says.

Naruto is _in for it._

X X X

The moment that Sasuke and Naruto enter the blond's apartment, Sasuke is on his prey. A push on the couch is Naruto's only warning before Sasuke's mouth covers his, his tongue already insistently pressing against his boyfriend's lips.

The most beautiful thing is that Naruto does not resist at all, his arms wrapping around Sasuke's neck and pulling him closer. While Sasuke knows that they still are not going to go any farther than heavy kissing, the knowledge that physical intimacy is now at least possible makes him very pleased.

When he pulls away, enough to just catch air, Naruto places his hands on Sasuke's chest in order to prevent him from continuing.

"Calm down, bastard."

"No."

"Sasuke_-_"

A rather girly scream interrupts Naruto's sentence. Immediately, Sasuke and Naruto's heads whip up to the entrance of the living room, where a very shocked Kiba is standing in his pajama pants.

"In the living room though?" Kiba whines. "I know you all have been getting friendly, but shit! _Please_ don't do it where I can see it."

"If you can do it with Hinata on the couch, than I can make out wherever I want," Naruto states, scowling at his roommate. "My eyes have been burned too many times for me to count."

"Besides, he's with me now," Sasuke adds smugly, causing Naruto to punch his shoulder. The action does not affect Sasuke in the slightest as he continues talking. "He is my boyfriend. It will happen more often now, so you need to get used to it."

If Kiba looked shocked before, it does not compare to what he looks like now; his mouth has completely dropped open and his eyes are huge. Sasuke thinks he looks absolutely stupid.

"No way."

"You're the one complaining about my relationships," Naruto says to the brunet. "Now you can't."

"Yeah, you're right," Kiba replies, smirking. "Finally, you can get laid and I don't have to deal with your _bitching. _Just keep it quiet though, because if I don't have to imagine two men going at it, then I won't."

"I get it. Go away," the blond remarks, dismissing his friend. However, Kiba does the opposite; he begins rambling to Naruto, talking about how now, he does not have to go to any more gay bars. He talks about more things, but Sasuke zones out; he really could care less. In fact, Kiba is interrupting his intimate time with Naruto, and that is a problem.

Sasuke figures the best way to make Kiba leave is by making him uncomfortable, so the younger Uchiha dips his head for another kiss. Naruto immediately returns it, his attention completely driven away from his roommate and friend. To Sasuke's chagrin, he hears the brunet make a disgusted noise and then stomp off, presumably to his bedroom.

When the noise of a door being closed is heard, the blond pulls away. He looks amused.

"You're a jackass."

Sasuke shrugs. "He deserved it."

"We should probably go to my room though," Naruto says. "It's one thing to scar Kiba for life, but I'm not trying to scare Hinata."

Personally, Sasuke does not particularly care if Kiba's girlfriend sees them or not. However, Naruto is already walking away to his bedroom – and besides, the bed probably gives them more space. When the two lay down, the blond immediately goes under the covers and buries his face into a pillow. The younger Uchiha snatches it away, refusing to let Naruto sleep.

He thought they were going into the bedroom to continue their kissing. It looks like Naruto still just wants to sleep.

Come _on._

"Remember, I got back late," the blond says.

"That's your fault," Sasuke replies, smirking when he sees Naruto's annoyed scowl. "I'm here; cater to your _boyfriend_."

"Yeah, shove it, Sasuke. A half an hour and I'll be up."

The blond then grabs the pillow back and gets comfortable. He even slides closer to Sasuke, his body touching his boyfriend's in order to appease him. The only reason the younger Uchiha allows Naruto to get comfortable is because he says a half an hour – that amount of time is not enough to waste the day away. Sasuke figures he might as well get comfortable too, so he lays on his side, watching as the blond slowly dozes off into sleep. The silence and the darkness of the room create a relaxing atmosphere, and the peace the younger Uchiha feels make him calm.

Sasuke does not even realize that he actually lays with Naruto for an hour, content with the press of his boyfriend's body against his.

X X X

The day passes fast and enjoyably. Sasuke and Naruto do not go anywhere but the kitchen and the couch, spending their time watching television and often getting distracted with make out sessions. They really do not act any differently than before, but the atmosphere has changed. Sasuke no longer feels like he is walking on a tightrope, unsure of where their relationship stands. However, while they are now together, he knows they both still need to put forth effort.

If the dynamics of their relationship changed, Sasuke would not like it. As much as Naruto makes fun of him and calls him 'bastard', it makes the blond distinct. If Naruto started sucking up to Sasuke, he would be disgusted.

At the end of the night, the two part with a chaste kiss and considerably happy attitudes. When Sasuke goes to sleep that night, he easily falls into a deep slumber, still in slight disbelief of his and Naruto's new relationship development.

Reality really begins to sink in the next day, when Sasuke is sitting at his work desk and looking at his documents.

He is officially with a man.

Not only a man, but with _the _man who stomped in Sasuke's house and completely turned things upside down.

Itachi would have a field day if he knew. Meanwhile, his parents would flip. His mother would handle it better than his father, but she would be shocked none the less. Sasuke does not even want to imagine what his father would do; he could hit him, call him some derogatory names or even be in complete denial. There would never be the extreme of being disowned, but the reputation of the company would surely be on the line.

Sasuke does not even want to imagine it.

Unfortunately, one day, he may have to. However, for now, he is finally content, more than he ever felt with Sakura.

X X X

"Try it."

"No."

"Come on!"

As Naruto pushes his spoonful of ice cream in Sasuke's face, the other male turns his head, a grimace of disgust on his face. Naruto knows he hates sweets, but then again, that is probably why the blond is trying to shove it in Sasuke's mouth right now.

"It's not even that sweet. Who the fuck doesn't like ice cream?"

Sasuke's eyes narrow. "Me, so get it out of my face."

Despite Sasuke's refusal, the blond does the complete opposite. When Naruto finds an opening, the cold confectionary is forced into Sasuke's mouth. An overwhelming taste of bananas invades his senses, and the younger Uchiha is forced to just eat it.

When Naruto pulls away, he has a satisfied grin on his face. Sasuke glares.

"How's it taste?"

"Terrible," Sasuke quickly replies. Naruto waves him off, continuing to eat his treat. Sasuke does not even understand how Naruto is eating the stuff; it is absolutely cold outside, so it makes no sense to even want it in the first place. However, Naruto is not the only one; a few people are in the ice cream shop, enjoying their own desserts as well.

All of them, stupid.

"Get over it, you wuss," Naruto states. "You have this frown on your face that makes you look constipated."

Sasuke frowns even worse. The blond smiles cheekily at him.

"Alright, if it tastes that bad, I'll help and get the flavor out a little bit."

There is a momentary look of confusion on Sasuke's face before he realizes what Naruto means, right when the blond's lips are pressed against his. There is a brief swipe of Naruto's tongue before it completely invades Sasuke's mouth, briefly running over Sasuke's own tongue. As quick as the kiss starts, it ends; Naruto pulls his mouth away, licking his lips.

"Are you over it now?"

Sasuke smirks. "You've convinced me. Let me have another bite."

"You're a fucking pervert," Naruto comments, now inclined to keep his ice cream to himself. He even pulls it closer to himself – not like Sasuke is going to _steal _it.

"It wasn't even a real kiss – just two seconds," the blond murmurs.

Sasuke shrugs. "Regardless, if you won't give me more, then hurry up; I want to go home. My parents are out until late, and I need to be somewhere different than your apartment. We can go to my place."

Naruto furrows his eyebrows. "I'll take my time, bastard." His eyes then stare beyond Sasuke's shoulders, oddly intrigued by something. "Hey, look behind you."

Now curious, Sasuke discreetly looks behind his shoulder. He does not see anything vaguely interesting, only a few people scattered around at different tables.

"There's a guy who kind of looks like you."

A little more interested, Sasuke's eyes zone in on a lone figure at a table in the corner. He has short, jet-black hair and dark eyes. His skin is pale, even more so than Sasuke's own. A hint of recognition comes to the younger Uchiha; he feels like he has seen this person before _somewhere. _

When the person makes direct eye contact with Sasuke, his brain immediately clicks. As a result, he frowns and immediately turns his attention back to Naruto.

"What?"

"It's that guy from a while back, in the park," Sasuke says. Naruto stares at him blankly, not remembering a single detail.

"When I had my stitches, we went out to the park. There was a guy there who sketched you, and then he made crude jokes about your penis."

It takes the blond several moments, but understanding finally dawns upon him. Remembering the rude stranger, Sasuke wonders if the guy has some kind of antisocial disorder. He has been told is uncaring and cold, but this other guy takes the prize. From their only encounter, the guy proved to be socially awkward and completely indifferent to offending people. For Sasuke, he does not get a good vibe from the strange man – he thinks the name is Sai, or something along those lines. Sasuke's feelings stem from more than just the crude statements Sai told; the other male makes him suspicious, but of what, Sasuke does not know.

"Oh, that asshole," Naruto says, snapping Sasuke out of his thoughts. The blond's mouth has curved into a frown, obviously displeased.

"You know, let's just go before he recognizes us and tries to talk," Naruto says, standing from his seated position. "Didn't he ask me on a date before? I really don't want to be in that awkward position again."

"Well, you're with me," Sasuke states, albeit with a hint of possessiveness. The blond rolls his eyes, passing by Sasuke as he exits the ice cream shop.

"You've officially become my boyfriend a _week _ago_. _Calm down Sasuke – I _know _I'm with you."

When they get in Sasuke's car, Naruto immediately zones out to stare at the scenery. This moment of quiet is rare, especially with Naruto in the picture, so the younger Uchiha allows himself to think. A week; it has been a week since Naruto agreed to be with him. His shock has worn off, and now he is just waiting for Naruto to let loose and be comfortable. They are connecting more now, and he can tell Naruto is more inclined to be affectionate with him. Luckily, the dynamics of their relationship have not changed; Naruto is still an idiot, and to the blond, Sasuke is still a bastard. Everything would be weird otherwise.

However, there are slight changes. The blond has a big heart, and now, Sasuke feels like the blond is making an effort for Sasuke to be a significant part of it. It is cliché, but the thought makes Sasuke content. Naruto was not kidding when he said his relationships are not surface level; the blond is really investing, but then again, so is he. Sasuke is not the kind of person who is inclined to share his emotions or thoughts with anyone, but he finds it acceptable to do so with the blond.

Another change is that now that they are officially together, Naruto has been more comfortable about getting physical. As a result, Sasuke's sexual dreams have increased in frequency and nature. Blowjobs are the most common in his dreams, but he has a fetish for that sort of activity. After being with a girl who did not want to, now he is with someone who seems more willing. He has dreamt of several ways Naruto could pleasure him, each of which make Sasuke change his boxers in the morning.

There has also been a couple of dreams that are a bit more explicit – _intercourse _explicit. Sasuke has only had sexual intercourse with a woman, but he knows the basics about men. It will be a bit more tricky and he will have to be patient so that there will be pleasure for both of them. Despite this, it is _definitely _something to look forward to.

After all, Naruto has not had sex in three years. He will probably be _very _responsive.

"What are you thinking about?" Naruto asks him suddenly. Sasuke smirks.

"Nothing, absolutely nothing."

After that, Naruto begins chatting; he could not have been quiet for long. They soon arrive at the Uchiha household, and Sasuke is the first to reach the door. His home is completely quiet, reaffirming that no one is home.

"Where are we going?" Naruto asks as they climb the stairs.

"My room."

"Right," Naruto says, wiggling his eyebrows. "Trying to get some?"

When they reach the top of the stairs, Sasuke immediately grabs Naruto's hand and pulls him close, nibbling the blond's ear.

"What if I was?" he whispers, and he feels satisfaction when he feels Naruto's heartbeat quicken against his chest.

"It was just a joke," Naruto says. "But sure _Sasuke, _try your best."

With that, Naruto places his lips on the junction of Sasuke's neck and shoulder, lightly sucking on the spot. Sasuke's fingers clench against the material of his boyfriend's clothes, and he tilts his head to better accommodate the blond's mouth. When teeth start to graze, a sudden spike of pleasure runs through Sasuke's body, and he pushes the blond against the wall. He is quickly on the blond, sliding his hands under his shirt to caress golden skin.

Naruto groans, letting his head rest against the wall. They have not even made it to the bedroom.

"What would you like?" Sasuke breathily asks, his mouth almost pressing against Naruto's ear.

"Kiss me."

The husky request is something the younger Uchiha cannot deny. His mouth immediately devours the other's, and he feels his eyes close when Naruto's fingers tangle into his hair. If Naruto's responsiveness is any indication of what he is like in bed, then the wait will be well worth it.

A particular tug on his locks makes Sasuke gasp and throw his head back. Naruto's mouth immediately latches on the exposed skin, sucking on the flesh hard enough to create a mark. The action is very dominant, but Sasuke cannot bring himself to care.

Shit, he is getting _so hard _right now.

"Naruto-"

"You like this?" the blond whispers. "You _are _a fucking pervert."

The mouth moves to Sasuke's ear, and the younger Uchiha immediately throws himself into the pleasure. The only sounds in the hallway are their harsh pants and kisses. They need to make into the bedroom, before Sasuke throws Naruto down and does questionable things to the blond in the public hallway. The servants would not appreciate it, but _damn _Naruto is good with his tongue.

So wrapped up in Naruto's attention, Sasuke does not even notice some footsteps nearing closer until it is too late.

"Well, if this isn't a surprise."

Naruto immediately pulls away, but he cannot move at all, trapped between the wall and Sasuke. His partner jumps a little, but he does not distance himself from the blond. He refuses to look like he was startled.

"Didn't know I was home?" the baritone voice says, sounding entertained.

Truthfully, no. Sasuke turns to look at the newcomer, annoyed when he sees a glint of amusement in their eyes. _Stupid _Itachi.

"Go away," Sasuke bites out. Everything about his brother gets on his nerves, and Sasuke admits there is some resentment in him towards Itachi – a lot of it coming from his relationship with Naruto in the past. He knows their relationship has long ended, but _still. _The thought of them in the past appalls him, enough to irrationally cause a small spark of jealousy to appear in his chest.

"Go away?" Itachi questions. "You're the one in the hallway, little brother." Itachi's attention then turns to Naruto, a blush stained on the blond's face.

"Hello Naruto."

"Uh, hey?"

"Seems like you two are compatible. Does he kiss better?"

Itachi's words make Sasuke immediately see red. In an instant, he is away from Naruto and face-to-face with Itachi, rage in his eyes.

"Mind your own business Itachi. You have a partner, so leave him alone."

Perhaps there is more than a small spark of jealousy. Itachi will not bring up that past; Naruto is _his _now.

"Sasuke, cut it out. He's just trying to annoy you," Naruto interjects, sounding slightly exasperated. "Itachi, don't act like an ass."

"My apologies, Naruto," the older Uchiha says, but to Sasuke, he does not sound sorry at all. A sneer comes upon Sasuke's face, but Naruto quickly reprimands his behavior with a punch to the shoulder.

"I would suggest to go your bedroom, Sasuke."

And with those words, Itachi passes by the couple, making his way down the stairs. Despite Naruto's hit, Sasuke still feels annoyed inside. His brother makes him so angry; one, he is an asshole. Two, he is completely inconvenient. The younger Uchiha's sexual drive has been completely killed because of his brother's appearance.

_Screw _Itachi.

"Sasuke?"

"Just go to my bedroom."

"Well _fuck,_" Naruto says, sounding slightly irritated. "Itachi shows up once, and you get into a pissy fit. How about _you _go into the bedroom? I'm going to go get some water."

The blond's words make Sasuke frown. "Naruto-"

"Not listening. I'll be there in a second."

Naruto then walks off, ignoring Sasuke completely. The younger Uchiha muses that the blond is the only one who has the nerve to just leave like that – besides Itachi of course, and that is because both of them really do not care how Sasuke reacts.

The similarity makes Sasuke shudder. He is _not _going to put Naruto and Itachi in the same sentence ever again.

Begrudgingly, Sasuke decides to go to his bedroom. It is not like he is listening to Naruto – there is just no other place to go. Besides, he would like to continue the kissing that occurred earlier, and that is the safest place to go.

When he enters, the younger Uchiha takes off his shoes and immediately gets comfortable on his bed. Staring at the ceiling, he reflects on how his life has changed. The first time Naruto entered his house, Sasuke was shocked and mildly disgusted. Of course his brother would find the most annoying person in Sasuke's life and become interested in him.

Now, while Naruto is still the most annoying person Sasuke probably knows, it is definitely worth it. He could not be more eager for the blond to be in his room right now.

A sound interrupts Sasuke's thoughts; it is the door downstairs closing. Itachi must have left. Good riddance.

A few more minutes pass, and then the younger Uchiha begins to get confused. It does not take that long to get something to drink, unless Naruto got lost.

The idea is plausible; Naruto has not been to his house in a while, so he probably _did _get lost. The thought almost makes Sasuke chuckle.

Resigned to finding the blond, Sasuke leaves his room and makes his way downstairs towards the kitchen. The idiot – he could be anywhere in this place if he got lost.

Nearing the kitchen, the younger Uchiha begins to make out voices. It is when he sees the doorway that his heart completely stops and he completely freezes in his tracks.

"Excuse me?" says a female voice, a very distinctly _familiar _female voice.

They were not supposed to be here until late tonight…!

"What is _this?_" comes another voice, deeply masculine and bordering on furious. All Sasuke can think is that this is _not _happening…

That his _parents _are not home right now-

-and that _Naruto _definitely better not be in that kitchen!

He has no choice but to come closer to the doorway. Hearing footsteps, his mother turns around to regard her youngest son, confusion clearly visible in her dark eyes. His father is the next to see him, but his features are not as innocent.

"Sasuke…"

And all Sasuke can think is:

_Shit._


End file.
